


Tech for Breakfast

by NullBubby



Series: A Marvelous Mage [2]
Category: Kirby (Video Games)
Genre: Adoption, Crying, Gen, Mommy Susie, Rating May Change, Self-Esteem Issues, Suicidal Thoughts, but everyone else is regularly aged, characters to be added as they appear, kid magolor, lotsa hugs, unexpected take your child to work day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:22:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 64,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24329479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NullBubby/pseuds/NullBubby
Summary: With all issues (presumably) cleared up at last, it's time for one egg boy to go back home and return to his old life once more.He doesn't exactly have a home, or even anyone, really, but thankfully, there's someone who feels that's an issue.
Relationships: Susie | Susanna Patrya Haltmann & Magolor
Series: A Marvelous Mage [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756462
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Scattered Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to leave...
> 
> Time to have a place to stay, at last.

Everything had been going steadily since they’d arrived. Not particularly nicely—nothing more than adequate had occurred to their convenience—though most certainly not poorly. In fact, since they’d left the darkened caves from the forever moonlit dimension, the familiar aura of cheerfulness and joy had returned, something that one had been longing to see for quite some time. The other... maybe not so much. Instead of having a normal life to return to, he’d have one filled with responsibilities. Most certainly not ones that a child would be expected to have, but it was probably best that others didn’t know anyway. Then he’d be placed with another set of strangers, and then would begin another short journey filled with mockery at his expense, quickly leading up to his abandonment once more.

For the time being, though, he’d enjoy what little joyful energy he could find. Ever since... since he’d been lost, he hadn’t found a speck of anything positive, anywhere. Sure, there may have been a couple of funny incidents watching a kid trip and fall all the way down a hill, possibly even having a short giggle about it if the memory was far back enough, or perhaps an apple fight between the crowd, which was more convenient to him than anything. Just some easy pickings for the next day or two. He’d been quite lucky to have found a party like the one he had... things probably wouldn’t have worked out so well had he not. But best not to think about the negatives, he was in a happy place. Right?

...right?

He... really couldn’t tell. The room was exactly how he’d recalled—at least the parts he was conscious enough to remember at the time—though saying it was anything more than plain was quite the overstatement, in his mind. With such a life like the one he’d had, everything just looked “mediocre” or “average”, at best. And if not? Well... maybe that’s going a little off track. He was here to find a bit of hope before leaving, not reflect on all the events that had occurred up to that point. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to leave for a while, but it wasn’t like she’d be willing to keep a stranger in her house for any longer than necessary.

Oh, and speaking of, why did she still care to sit by him? He was just... a small little waste of the perfectly good warm air in the house... was she really not just shoving him out already? Probably best to take in the experience while it lasted, though. He’d be gone before sunset, at the very best. Or, maybe that wouldn’t be so good, as he’d have to wander around in the darkness to find somewhere suitable to stay. Also, what time was it anyway? It wasn’t easy to tell from inside, and the pseudo-window didn’t reveal a whole lot, either.

“Are you ordinarily permitted to be away for this long?” Oh, how much she didn’t know, but that was probably best. “I’d assume anyone would be worried for their child being lost even a day.”

Again, a question that he’d have to lie about. He felt so bad doing it, to the one person who put some effort into helping him out of that pit, even going out of her way to make sure he was safe. Still, it was for the better. Best not to have someone like him sticking around for any longer than he should.

“Uh, I—y—no. I... I’m sure they’re worried that I’ve been gone for so long.”

“Do they live significantly far from this location?”

“I don’t know where we are.”

“Oh...”

She stared at him with those pale blue eyes of hers, being the only sort of anything on her face aside from a slight blush. Adorning her look was exceedingly long pink hair, which just suited her so well, in his opinion. It was a little out of the ordinary, from what he’d seen in others, at least, though it just was so... he really didn’t know how to describe it. Smooth? If taken literally, then yes. Apparent? Much, much more than that. In a large crowd, she’d definitely stand out more so than most, or perhaps even all. After all, he couldn’t exactly think of something that would stand out more than a neon-pink hair, powerful enough alone to resonate within him with a good deal of energy. Unnoticeable, whatever the force remained, but it almost seemed to transmit its heat onto his own face through some unknown energy, and a little less so the rest of his body.

He snapped back to the current situation as a gentle vibration shook his entire body, rocking him back and forth ever so slightly. A floating hand placed atop his head was the culprit, and upon him blinking and looking around a couple of times, it retreated back to its owner, which was unfortunate because the heat felt nice. Just beside him, Susie stared on with a concerned look, judging by her expression.

“Is something the matter?”

“Oh, n-no. Just...”

Without any excuse in mind, he left his statement unfinished. He’d be one lucky kid if she decided not to question it, else there would be quite a bit of awkward conversation following, as well as a good deal of storytelling—something he was extremely poor at, especially when making it up on the spot.

“Oh, alright.”

A moment passed, taunting him with the expectation of the dreaded question, yet it never came. Oh boy... quite the predicament he was in. Compared to tomorrow, and maybe even the rest of the day, though, it was nothing. A conversation with the one who had saved his own life, regarding his nonexistent caretaker was a little awkward, but it probably wouldn’t have helped if they were talking about literally anything else, either. The lack of something called “social skills” put quite a dent in his ability to converse with others, something he hadn’t really remembered doing since he could barely speak. There were those conversations in his mind, though. He had company in his several different voices, and lucky for him that they traveled where he traveled. They listened to his venting about every single little detail that had happened that day, but instead of comforting him about it, they instead built upon his shame, explaining exactly what went wrong, and what should have been done instead. They made it clear that the one little decision to... whatever he did to find himself outside in the cold, that one night, was something easily preventable. And really, he agreed with every word of it. He knew exactly what should have been done, even without the others telling him.

Once again, something was atop his head, now shaking him just a little harder than last time. The imminent question was obvious, though instead of a response prepared in his mind, he had a question of his own. It wasn’t like he was going to ask it, but he did have to wonder why she cared about just the littlest things about him, like staring off at the wall, lost in a train of thought. Had she not experienced that before, or was it just that recent events had led her to expect the worst?

He turned back shyly, taking a good look into her worried eyes before turning slightly down. It’d really be nice if he could just get going already, just leave with the memories of one who cared about him at least a little.

“Would you happen to know where you’d need to return to?”

He nodded, too uncomfortable to look up at her, despite what the past adventure they’d been on. She remained silent as well, and from his peripheral vision, it seemed like she took a short look at the floor as well, though it was extremely difficult to tell from just a mix of colors.

“I can assist in your return home, if you’d like."

Oh... now she was willing to get him out. That’s what he'd been expecting for so long anyway, and at least he’d been able to pinpoint the moment she transformed her attitude toward him. It wasn’t like it would help in any sort of way, but it was simply nice to know, in case... it was just that extra bit of knowledge.

But his “home” changed every night. During the day, he was out wandering, searching for food, water, and a suitable shelter for his sleep, otherwise it was back to chasing after the group of kids. Oh, and speaking of, they were long gone by now—he was on his own. Well, he technically was already, but it was nice to imagine they were leaving their resources behind for him. Which he rarely did, but when the occasion arrived, he savored it with every ounce of his consciousness.

“I think I can get home myself.”

“Please, I insist. You are merely a child, and it would be rather difficult to return home without knowledge of where we currently are.”

Oh boy, excuse time again. Now, what was the best way to simply cut her off?

“Uh... my parents don’t like to see me with strangers.”

He nearly broke down right then and there, hindered speech of himself uncertain of whatever jumble had just spouted out himself. His chest thumped with every passing moment, a force reckoning that feeling obvious, and a knot appeared in his throat, rending him incapable of another word.

“Oh... I suppose I could drop you off a short distance from your destination, then make a quick departure? I would not like to upset your parents.”

There was that mention of the word. Again. A tear formed in his eye, though he couldn’t even tell it was there from the immense pain he was feeling from within his mind. She really wanted him gone, didn’t she? Just another of the few that had spoken to him, forever longing to have his presence removed for eternity.

“N-no...” he whispered, such a quaver in his voice that it nearly sounded like a soft breath. There was no way he’d be able to look even at her body without completely breaking down.

She paused for a moment, having most certainly heard the distress in his voice, though not entirely sure what to say at the moment. Her eyes were no doubt fixed on his robed head, maybe more so his pointed ears that stuck out a short distance—not providing any better hearing capability than normal, or so he’d heard from somewhere. Hopefully... she wouldn’t ask...

“Is... something bothering you?”

She asked.

And as a result, the last sight she was sure to ever see of him was sprinting out the door in such a hurry that he nearly tumbled over trying to get up, already having burst into tears. Luckily, he was already clutching on to his new spellbook for just about the entire time he was there, otherwise he’d probably have forgotten and left it behind. He had no idea the layout of the house... he’d only ever seen the room he was already in, and a bit of the hall from their entry. It was already a miracle the doors were automatic, otherwise he would’ve been on the floor crying, then with the added premise of physical pain to deal with.

He didn’t even bother to look where he was going. Upon running up to the wall holding the other side of rooms, he simply turned to a random direction and continued running, somehow managing to wind up above the grassy floor within a few moments. With the dawning sunlight now beating on him, he ran as far as he could, as fast as he ever could, just trying to escape the person who’d unintentionally made him have a meltdown in simply attempting to provide some comfort.

At least... they’d had a few good times together. He’d never, ever forget those memories, for they were the single greatest set of events to ever occur in his entire life, besides his times as an infant soon-to-be-mage. As the evening sun beat gently down on his robes, he mentally looked back on the household. All she wanted to do was help...

* * *

The starry sky was always a nice sight to view. Always. Almost every night, he recalled, he’d find a suitable place on the ground, lie down, and stare up toward the astral beings placed far out in the sky, shimmering gently against the blackness of space. And space... he remembered longing to devise some sort of method of making it out there, exploring the great vastness to his heart’s content. Those were some great times... really. It was a shame they had to disappear, but those were some fantastic memories, long etched into his mind to call back to, just to recover a sliver of hope when he had to go another day without food, or when he got poor sleep and would have to deal with fatigue for the day. Just when he had another one of _those_ days.

Go too deep in those memories, and he’d find himself crying once more at his loss, so long ago. It wasn’t so much his thirst he’d be worried about from doing so, or the hollow feeling in general—it was the fear of alerting someone or something of his presence. It was just something to know when one was out, cold and alone in the midst of the night. Maybe if he ever made it out of his situation, which of course would be never, he could just possibly... pursue his old dream of becoming the conqueror of worlds. Satisfying stomach’s demands every night, finding a wonderful world overrun by huge constructs of apples to explore, regardless meaning or understanding of it all. And after finding all the things ever wanted, returning home to share the news with...

Don’t cry. Don’t cry. She... won’t come back. Just... think of the current situation. Right... okay. So what did he need to do? Well... he was feeling awfully thirsty. He hadn’t had something to drink since before the incident down below in that other dimension. Alright... okay... time to find something to drink.

Of course, though, the environment had decided to ruin just about everything for him in particular, using its energy to find whatever would inconvenience him the most. And at the moment, it was hard to tell what most of those things would be from the near-pitch-black lighting conditions all around. But a forest was a forest, and what would it be without a pond or a lake somewhere nearby? Every single one in the past had contained a convenient body of water for him to utilize, be it for drinking, washing up... drinking... It was never tasty by any means. At best, it would have just the slightest taste of mud and rock from the bed of the water, though it wasn’t like he had another choice. It was either take the possible illness to follow, or thirst to death. The latter option would have been a considerable choice, if it only wasn’t for the method to reach the destination. Otherwise, there’d have been a good possibility he’d have been long gone already.

Maybe debate on that later and find some water. He’d have all the time in the world to ponder whether his life was truly worth the struggles and hardships already overcome and soon to be. Luckily for him, there happened to be a good-sized glade just up ahead, and clearings usually had something of use in them—be it a place to stop and rest or some water. Hopefully it would be the latter... the other possibility wasn’t too hard to come across.

The pond wasn’t very large—he could probably circle it within less than a minute in the slow pace he normally strolled along in. A ring of moonlight illuminated maybe a little more than half of it, as well as a small patch of grass surrounding, just densely packed enough to obscure the muddy floor beneath. Others would probably be turned away by it, or at least disgusted by having to step in the mushy ground, but he simply didn’t care. He wasn’t even touching the ground, anyway, and he’d only get dirty if it was willingly.

Closer inspection revealed that the pool wasn’t deep at all. He could probably reach down and touch the bottom if he wanted to, but past experiences had revealed that it was only a deception. The water’s surface casted an illusive spell over itself, altering the perception through it by quite a bit. Quite the mystery how it was done... it was just so... interesting, was it? It really provided no practical purpose, but maybe he could also learn that spell, and then he’d have to figure out a use for it before anything else. Playing those “tricks” on others, maybe, judging by the nature of them from what little conversation he’d heard, but he hadn’t a single other person to perform for. Oh well, no need to worry about it then.

Without really being sure why, he took a brief walk a short way around the shore, out of his sort of comfort zone that lay in the moonlight, stopping just beside a group of weeds scattered along the ground. Maybe it was instinct, maybe it was just the vulnerable feeling of remaining where he could be seen, but he truly hadn’t a clue as to the reasoning. It wasn’t really something he needed to know, but it at least gave him something to distract himself from everything else for a moment.

With a good look all around to make sure no one would be around to see him, he tucked the book behind himself, quickly lowered the hood atop his head, and dropped himself down toward the liquid in front of him. There was no way he’d be letting even a single person see his “cat-like face" beneath that hood of his. Again, he still had no idea what it meant, but judging by the reactions from the few that had heard the call and seen it, it probably wasn’t a very nice thing. Though, of course, no one in their right mind would be out and about wandering through the forest in the middle of the night—something he very well acknowledged. It was still best to remain cautious, anyway, as there were some things he’d seen before that were much less than reasonable to any normal person.

It wasn’t easy—no, it was impossible to lap up the water without getting the rest of his face wet, which was just an inconvenience more than anything. From a few past experiences, he remembered the frigid air providing a much more apparent effect with his face dampened. Only for a moment, though. His magically imbued hood was enough to keep the gale from having any effect at all, in turn keeping at least a bit of bodily warmth to himself. It couldn’t protect from natural heat loss, though, and as it turned out, that was quite a problem. Sure, there was a special incantation that could at very least lessen the effect, but for one, it was way out of his capability, and it was also extremely risky to perform, as one wrong move could be of huge detriment. At least, that’d been what he’d heard.

Upon finally finishing up with the murky water, he set up his hood and turned around, but didn’t yet decide to move. Just... that small bit of heat from setting it over himself... it reminded him of the warmth from her body. It felt so nice when she simply placed a hand over his head, or even better when... when she gave him a tight squeeze. And now he could truly see why. There was the physical heat she provided, of course, but the affection in general was much more apparent. It did its best to fill the hole in his heart, and for the brief period he’d spent with her, it did its job fairly well. He could even delve to the past day or so in his memories, and picture her standing there, hands folded in front of herself, staring gently down on him. She wouldn’t care if he provided any discomfort, or inconvenienced her in any way... she just cared that he was safe... And yet still, they barely knew each other.

The image of her body just ahead disappeared before he got the chance to truly acknowledge it was there. Well... that was alright, then. He’d managed for this long, and he didn’t need anyone else to look after him. He could just push through anything else that came in his way—thirst, hunger, coldness, anything. Those years of doing so weren’t exactly for nothing, after all.

Without really paying attention to where he was going, he started out in no particular direction, awkwardly clinging on to his book with one of his floating hands. If he were to simply nudge it even the slightest, it would probably fall out of his hold, but he was too inattentive to care at the moment. For now, he’d just... walk along, ignoring his stomach’s desperate pleads to be fed, looking for... just something. Not anything in particular, a shelter could be found easily, but just something different for a change. Something unique, maybe, to distract his mind for a while.

The edge of the forest immediately led to an enormous pit in the ground, stretching farther than he could possibly see in both directions. It was impossible to tell how deep it truly was, given that the moonlight seemed to be absorbed a short distance down, leaving a dark layer to cover everything beneath. From his location, it wasn’t very difficult to see that the chasm wasn’t very far across—a handy bridge not far away led to the other side. It also wasn’t a mystery that the bridge was short, probably crossable within a minute or two in his pace.

Not even giving it a second thought, he approached the edge of the cliffside and looked down below. The crags lining both of the ravine’s walls didn’t stick out a whole lot for the most part, though it wasn’t like he was getting a better view anyway. Down there... it... a long fall. Very, very long. Certainly enough for... the possibility, if he decided on it. And really, that was quite a suitable option. Who’d he be leaving behind, anyway? There was... her... but, she wouldn’t even get to know he was gone. If he could’ve just found her earlier, and received a nice hug from how long they’d been apart...

He shed a tear, but managed to restrain himself beyond that. Okay, okay, no one else was around... was there? Oh, speaking of hugs... there was Susie. She was really kind to him, and cared for him, but she wouldn’t care to see him gone. They were just strangers, and strangers didn’t care for each other. But those hugs... they gave a sweet reminder of her...

Another tear was let loose, and this time he didn’t stop himself. It wasn’t truly worth it anymore, was it? Just a quick movement, and no one would even realize he was gone. None even realized he existed in the first place, anyway. He took another look down, then moved back a little and let his book drop onto the floor. Sagging his hands beneath the rest of his body, he reapproached the edge of the ravine. Just one jump... was all it took...

His entire audience, composed of the book, his growling stomach, and his silent subconscious, made no move or effort to stop him, instead simply watching him stare down into the abyss. Two would be gone with him, and one was sure to have otherwise no opinion on what would happen to himself. A sniffle, then a sob, and he wiped his eyes. He truly wouldn’t be remembered... would he?

One last look at the world behind him, then he turned back to his impending fate. Before he’d go... he gave himself a tight hug, irritatingly weeping the entire time. He just wanted to get one more from her... either of them. They knew care, and affection. They knew how to keep ones they cared about safe. And...

He couldn’t do it.

Falling over on his back, just beside the previously ditched book, he let out his tears once more. It was only a moment that he remained in the position, clutching tightly on to the book as an awful pillow. He knew there was something else that had to be done. Quite important, if he wasn’t following through with the plan he had nearly proceeded with. Weak, awkward, and depressed, he pulled himself up and entered the forest once more, leaving behind a trail of tears as he went.

Several times before, he’d learned, the trees were of many uses. For food, for shade—though he was usually cold anyway—for shelter, even. And for the time being, a place to stay was exactly what he needed at the moment. He was too weary, and it was too dark for him to search for something more than uncomfortable, he just cared there were walls around himself so he could sleep soundly.

Soon enough, he’d found exactly what he needed—a beyond dead, hollow tree stump. It was no more than twice his height, but the bark was most certainly easy to peel away. With his free hand, he pulled away at a loose segment of the wall, completely tearing off a good portion of the side he was facing. Just wide enough for him to enter, but not large enough for anything else to spot him inside... hopefully.

Webs and dead insects littered the inside of the makeshift shelter, but he was far too tired to find something else to rest in. Even the floor was merely dirt and dead shrubbery, small holes adorning the already poor flooring of what was hard to consider a shelter in the first place. There was no roof to prevent any possible precipitation from falling upon his head, or any sort of way to prevent the cold from ravaging against his body for the entirety of the night. All that was provided was a hiding place from any creatures lurking about in the darkness, for him often not even possible. This one would be more than adequate for the night.

A few sweeps of his hand were enough to brush away the cobwebs that he could see, but the countless other problems were far more prevalent. There was nothing that could be done about them, though. Magic would most certainly fix the issues, but he was such an amateur that even what would probably be considered basic to any mage was far out of his capability. All he had was the book, but he was too tired to even bother reading it at all. Instead, he set it down on the ground and collapsed down on top of it, resting his head atop the hard surface. His eyes were closed before even reaching the ground, and he was already trying to get to sleep for the night. Water still dripped out his eyelids slowly, though by now, his crying had subsided to a meager sobbing. Maybe tomorrow, he could start reading up, possibly even being able to improve on his old life...

* * *

_As soon as he opened his eyes, he immediately knew something was wrong. He’d been asleep for too long. Much too long. The ground was shady, sure, and so was the rock-hard slab his face was placed atop of, though he just knew the sun was shining, high up in the middle of the sky to signal it was midday. Oh, boy... he was usually an early bird, but how did he manage to wake up so late? There was a lot to get done for the day, and with his current situation, little time to work with._

_For some reason, though, he just didn’t feel like getting up. Or really, moving at all. That surface he rested on was so incredibly uncomfortable, and it would be much better to deal with the aches for a short while upon getting up than remain in the position any longer, yet he didn’t budge. In fact, he couldn’t force himself to budge. Any sort of attempt to lift his hand up was instantly disrupted before it even entered his thought process. Oh well. If nothing could be done, then best to make the most of the current time._

_So what could he do, then? Just... look forward... and stare blankly at his surroundings. Which didn’t happen to have changed from what he remembered, though there was one difference that immediately caught his eye. For starters, his spellbook was replaced with a good-sized rock, which explained his immense discomfort, but the tree was now also completely solid and alive. Not a single loose piece of bark could be spotted from what little his vision covered, and it was a healthy tan shade, rather than the decayed grey to suit the dying age of the long forgotten plant._

_Up above, of course not visible to him from his head’s position, he could sense there was a roof. No real way to tell—the shade inside obviously came from the walls surrounding him—he just knew. That was awfully nice... a shame he’d have to abandon it soon, but still nice that he’d managed to find a decent shelter. His memory was probably just fuzzy, from all his weariness the night before. Nothing to worry about..._

_The spell preventing him from moving, actually, but nothing else to worry about..._

_Maybe just... go back to sleep, then. His stomach was begging for him to get up, find some good to satisfy itself, but he’d gone longer without food before. It’d be fine, just get some more rest. After all, that intense journey not long ago was awfully tiring..._

_A few seconds, maybe, or even a minute passed without anything to disturb his rest, which was completely fine. That was his only grace period, though. Immediately after his time was up, something smashed hard against the ground a good distance away. Not enough to directly affect him, though the quick stomping heading in his direction was likely to be of issue. With his mind so relaxed, though, he didn’t even flinch. It wasn’t like he could in the first place, but he really didn’t even mind, even when a cold breeze brushed against him once more._

_Another moment passed of tranquility in his favor. Maybe whatever it was would just... leave, or remain completely oblivious to his existence at all. Actually, that last hope was fairly accurate, from what he’d recalled. He was one for being unacknowledged, mostly, so he’d be more than fine. In fact... he... he really didn’t care about that. Not like he needed someone else, anyway._

_A nice heat gently edged under his chest, then lifted him into the air. He was far too exhausted to react, but he didn’t feel the need to, anyway—it felt incredible. He could hear the stone, it sounded like, being lifted up as well, and soon enough, a harsh, freezing wing blasted against him, sending his whole body shivering. Even his robes weren’t enough to prevent the air from seeping under his fur and directly onto his skin. The heat below him was nowhere near enough to even lessen the effect, and he feared he might freeze if he didn’t get moving soon. Also, why was it so cold in the daylight, anyway?_

_Not long after, and he was gently laid down across something soft. It maybe felt a little familiar, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was from. A bed, perhaps? No, too firm. His only experience with one was as a baby, and... that... so it was a little tricky trying to recall exactly what it felt like. It was quite enough for his comfort, though it came at the expense of the heat disappearing from his body. Not like it helped, anyway._

_Something patted lightly against his head, though he wasn’t given enough time to recall where the sensation had been felt before something like a rocket sounded below him. The heat returned over his chest, then he was shoved against the ground by a different force. So hard, in fact, that he didn’t even budge upon feeling the ground beneath him shifting and twisting. Oh... he’d felt this all somewhere before, but he simply had no idea what it could’ve been from._

_Quite some time passed before anything else happened, really. He was too deep in his rest to be able to tell exactly how long, but it had to have been... at least as long as his routinely apple scavenging route. Probably longer, by that point. It all seemed to pass by in a blur, though—one moment, he was rested atop a pillow, or something, and the next, he was being lifted up once more. Whether the rock was coming along for the ride was a mystery, though it was nowhere near necessary. Just a hindrance, more than anything._

_He opened his eyes, not quite sure what to expect, only to find himself back in the hollow tree, right back where he remembered. Okay... just some mixed imagination. Then, a familiar clicking sound, from... somewhere. From ahead, then behind. Then the process once more, and he was back on the pillow-like surface. Turning his focus down toward the ground below him, he could properly attribute it as what suspicion implied. For whatever reason, he couldn’t see any of its details... he just knew it was a pillow. And then, a warm sheet was lifted over him. So, so warm. It felt even better than the gentle heat from earlier, as it covered just about his entire body. Oh... truly time to get back to sleep._

_Something patted his head gently, setting his eyes closed once more. That was nice. Very nice. Oh... he could go on forever, describing how nice that felt, though he was simply too drowsy to even think about it. All he wanted was to go to sleep, and as it turned out, that’s what he received. Before he truly left the physical realm for a while, he was able to hear one more set of the clicks from earlier. Not too loud, luckily, or he’d probably be wide awake, wondering what device could possibly make that sound in the first place._

_“Mags,” a hollowness droned to him, staring down without a face._

* * *

Mmm...

That felt so nice...

Within a moment, he could be back to sleep, if he really wanted. That’d have been nice. He was really close to dozing off again, too. For whatever reason, though, he simply couldn’t force himself asleep. But that was fine. All that heat... it was so nice to take in, especially considering the conditions the day prior. If he’d been even slightly more conscious, he’d probably have been wondering how a dead tree, of all things, could provide such comfort, and on his entire body at once, for that matter. Its smooth surface, settled above him from chest down, ever so warm. The comforting ground, keeping in his excess heat, assuring him that he’d be safe, for the time being. And that such gentle stroking across the top of his head, one that reminded him of a younger life...

Oh... it was all just so perfect. He could feel the innards of his body all relaxed—something he hadn’t quite felt in a long, long time. Sure, it’d get uncomfortable after a while, but it was just so nice at the moment. He didn’t even bother considering what had to be done for the day. That had all the time in the world, he could truly make himself believe that with everything he was feeling. None of his organs were powerful enough to get him up and moving for the day, either. Even the strongest contender—his stomach, ever so bewildered at what its host was even doing at the moment—had no true say in what would be done. Oh, if only he’d be able to find an experience like this once more.

After a short while, the heat itself turned out to lose its placement as the top comforting sensation, unwillingly giving up its title to the caresses atop his head. With each time it stroked across, he felt the drowsiness return to his eyes, though of course, it wasn’t enough to send him back to sleep. He probably wouldn’t be sleeping again until bedtime, though whatever was going on around him probably emulated the sensation quite well. Luckily, he managed to be conscious for it, too. Just a bit of relaxation... in...

It was all too much for him to remain thinking properly. Within a moment, his mind was clear, and the next thing he knew, a soft breath was let out his mouth, reflecting off his robes and back onto his face. That was... much, much better than... than... oh, he couldn’t even think about that, it felt so good. Would it really be too much to ask for this to last forever?

Well, as it turned out, it was. Soon enough, his muscles tensed up as he was pulled slowly out of his rest. The heat was no more than what it truly was, and he could start feeling it provide discomfort instead of keeping him motionless. The stroking still felt nice, though it didn’t quite have the same effect as when he was half-asleep. It did still have some sort of effect on him though, just enough to distract from all the other luxuries of comfort disappearing. One more stroke, and he instinctively bundled himself up and hummed softly. Oh... maybe he shouldn’t have done that. But it felt so nice... he couldn’t stop himself from repeating the noise.

It all soon came to a close, though. Once more, the pleasing feeling started to disappear, and within an instant, it was merely as if his eyes were closed. A small portion of the sleep magic lived on in his body, keeping what little sensation there was left within, but it was nowhere near enough to remedy everything else. Oh, time to wake up, then. Lots to do before sunset.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get his eyes open. They just wouldn’t budge. Maybe it was all of what had just happened not a few moments ago, or maybe simply the continuous sensation atop his body. Well, really, the reasoning didn’t matter—it was just his intended outcome. Which, at the moment, was simply impossible. His hands were too relaxed to make a move, either, so that path was hopeless. And really, the rest of his body, for that matter. It was starting to get uncomfortable, and if he didn’t stretch soon, he’d start to ache.

After much struggle between his mind and eyelids, they eventually let the color of his bright ovoids see the light of day. Grey... it was all grey... everything. The... he couldn’t see the shapes, just... grey. Oh, and... was that pink? With everything merging together in a messy blur, it was impossible to tell what anything was, and without much strength to get moving again, he set his eyes closed.

Trees weren’t pink, were they? Unless there was a subset of plants he hadn’t known of prior, he was getting delusional. And he was incredibly hungry, after bringing it up, so there was another concern to struggle with for the day. Not like he didn’t get a bite to eat on a semi-daily basis already, but past experience warned not to push limits any further.

Slowly opening his eyes once more, he twitched his hands slightly. They were simply too weak to move, and he couldn’t do anything about that. There was all the grey he just remembered, now taking rectangular shapes in varying shades, with a better ability to perceive what truly laid beyond where he was. They were scattered around everywhere, to the side, to his front, to... somewhere else... But something else also caught his eye—that shade of pink. Now, pink wasn’t exactly a color he’d see all the time. He saw it when the sun set, and the sky turned the familiar shade... and that was about it. What he noticed, however, was most certainly not the sky, or even the hue he knew for that matter. It was one that he’d made it an ambition to never, ever forget, no matter what’d make its move to distract him. It was one from not even a day ago, one that belonged to a very special someone to him.

And that very same person now had him weak, ripe for whatever intent she had planned for him.

In an instant, his eyelids shot up, letting the two to stare at each other—one with delight, previously, turned to worry as quickly as could be, the other returned to fear. He lurched back, though with what little strength still remained, he bumped gently against the back of the bed. All he had left was knocked out by the move, leaving him defenseless against the highly concerned Susie seated just before him. Her gaze left fixed on the near-breathless boy, now struggling to even keep his lungs satisfied for even a moment. He waited in expectation to be snatched, or at very least a few words to be spoken, but there remained nothing for an awkward silence.

“I apologize if I frightened you.”

“Frighten” was quite the understatement in his situation. Maybe more of "terrify", but cranked up ten or so notches beyond what the word meant, and then possibly a couple more. Still, it was nowhere near what he’d experienced on their last adventure.

All the thoughts passing by his mind, he remained silent. If there was even a word to be spoken at how surprised, scared, or bewildered he was at the moment, he couldn't grasp it.

“I...” She gave a soft sigh, much too quiet to be heard over his own panting. “I merely seeked a better condition for your rest. A tree...”

In her eyes was a look between disbelief, reassurance, and possibly disappointment, though it really could’ve been any without him able to tell. Without anything more than eyes on her face, it was much more than difficult to understand what she was trying to tacitly explain, though it most likely wasn’t a positive aspect, judging by the tone of her voice.

Maybe a few more words were spoken as his vision started to blur. He didn’t even care what would be done to him, or what was being said in general. His entire thought process had decided to take a break for the time being, making way for his immense shock to fill his mind with completely useless information at the moment. Of course, he was in a bad situation. He already knew that. And of course, she’d...

She’d come for him.

There wasn’t a whole lot he understood about the inner workings of another’s mind, much less an adult’s, though if someone decided to go out of their way to seek out a stranger, not even known for a week, and take them back into their own household... that was truly something. Especially considering that he was the stranger in the scenario.

He came back to with a hand rocking his head lightly, and oh, that felt so nice. A shame it had to go when she noticed, but maybe he could fake it out one last time before... anything unfortunate occurred, really. If he got caught, though...

“Why did you come for me?” he mumbled, almost without even realizing.

She sighed softly, turning down to the bed in doing so. Maybe it wasn’t such a good thing she heard, though not like he could take back what he said.

Upon turning back to him, a serious gaze met his eyes, adding an even greater sense of discomfort than what already prevailed. “I...” She reached toward him slightly, but stopped herself. Uncomfortably, it looked like, she turned back toward the ground beneath them.

She sighed dismayingly, then turned back to him once more. “You truly do not have one to look after you, do you?”

She... found out? But... he did his best in concealing that information. And yet... she knew anyway? Oh... that was... quite a situation.

Her softer voice and more serious tone was more than enough to fill him with unease. Enough to not only set him over the edge, but shove him across the line and slam him down as well, then place the weight of all his previous feelings atop just for added measure. To remind him that... the answer...

She really didn’t mean anything by it. And yet... the tears were back. For a brief moment, he could still see her in clear vision, brightened by some invisible light within the room, staring down at him blankly. And then... he was crying again. Not just a slight sob, or minor sniffling after tripping and falling over a rock, but full blown waterworks. As in, the type where he couldn’t even recall the last time he’d experienced the level, it was so bad. Not like he was even able to consider thinking about it, anyway. His hands were already bundled up at his eyes, doing their best to soak up all his tears in an effort not to ruin his robes any more than they already were.

Within the span of a few moments, he could feel her entire body pressed lightly against his own, which he would’ve embraced the best he could had it not been for his “situation”. It was of course an effort to provide some sympathy for his poor body, though all he could think about was preventing himself from dampening her.

A few more words were spoken, most likely to comfort him. Even the sound of her voice was enough, at least a little, even if he couldn’t understand a word of what she was saying. And her bodily heat felt so nice, too. Except, all of it was drowned out by the depressive thoughts of the entirety of his past life, his loneliness, his grief, his hunger—physically or socially. It was doing its best to combat whatever her body sent out toward him—heat and comfort, mainly, but maybe a few subsets of the latter thrown in as well. The freezing cold it sent out was more than enough to distract him from everything else being done in his favor, even if it was merely physical.

“I’m here,” she whispered in his ear. “Please do not forget that.”

His sobbing continued, having no noticeable effect from her reassurances. Throat, chest, all disputed, and the pain just couldn’t find itself a suitable habitat on his body. Spreading through his entirety, it ached with the pain from years of distant longing for just someone to be with him. A friend, a sibling, a... parent.

“You may stay with me,” she said in a softer tone of her regular voice. “Would you like that?”

In his immense crying, it was near impossible to focus on anything beside his current task, though somehow he managed to process what she’d said. She... was really willing to do that for him?

For just a moment, all his tears stopped, and he stared into his bundled hands. Could... she be...

The one thing he’d been asking for?

Whether she really meant it or not didn’t matter to him at the moment. The mere offer was enough to make him as joyous as he’d ever been since possibly before he started out on his own... and yet the hollow feeling still remained within him from mere moments ago. A mixture of sadness and joyfulness made way to duel to the death, having decided to use his body as a battleground, completely oblivious to any other destruction they’d cause him in doing so. And from all the pain inflicted in the ongoing combat, he cried once more, wrapping his hands tightly around her warm body. He was feeling too much to even consider whether it discomfited her, but she didn’t seem to mind. Instead of perhaps scolding him for contact without permission, she instead gave a short squeeze, resting her head just atop his own.

He felt warm, saddened, cheery, but mostly empty, all in a mixture that composed the basis of his sobs. If there was a time to have given just a single person the tightest hug he could ever accumulate, that was the time. And luckily, he took advantage of that, letting both of them share each other’s affection for as long as he could ever hope for. His may not have mattered much, or at all, really, but boy, did hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you spotted the Robot Wants reference I snuck (forced) in, then cool. That's great.
> 
> If you have no idea what I mean by "Robot Wants", that's fine. It's pretty obscure, anyway. If you do happen to know what that means, though, then you deserve a prize. Have some ice cream. And a Fishy. And some justice. And the letter Y.
> 
> ...or something.


	2. Chilled Vitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Since he'll be sticking around a while, a little familiarization of the new environment would come in handy.

A few minutes, was it? Ten or so? Certainly not an hour, but it was definitely a while he remained in his position, bundled up within her grasp, hands loosely wrapped around her body. She was awfully warm—more than a good thing in his books, and probably anyone else’s, really. Everyone else, with their parents, or caretakers, or friends, or anything he hadn’t ever had for so, so long. Sure... he was getting one... probably, so he should be getting closer to everyone else’s level. Unless she was just another who feeded on one’s despair and insecurity, which would explain the cause of her actions toward him in the first place, especially since they’d known each other for so little. Why would someone go to such great lengths to keep a complete stranger alive and well to stay in their own household, anyway? Maybe just... another one of “those things” that regular kids got to know and experience so well...

Unfortunately, his crying had to come to a halt at some point, and no matter how much he tried to drag it on so to keep her warmth to himself, the tears’ flow eventually trickled to a stop. It’d be no good trying to keep up the act anymore, just in case she wanted to punish him for trying to exploit her for affection. One false move and he could be thrown out once more, then with the added bonus of having twice been abandoned by one who cared about him, though, of course, with the latter only as a deception.

As the last drawn-out tear was finally released from its hold, his thoughts raced around, mostly about her, in hoping she wouldn’t let go for at least a while longer. She felt so, so nice, especially when stroking him gently with her delicate hands, like she had been during the entirety of his sobbing session. Maybe at least once more before getting tossed out again, sooner or later, he’d be able to get a feel of a hug’s true potential, just once more. It was a lot to ask for... even this one on the bed was quite adequate for his wishes.

No matter how much his internal pleads attempted to keep her whole body surrounding his own, they meant absolutely nothing to her or her intentions. Soon enough, the cold breeze returned to his usually freezing head and her body edged away, but she at least kept one of her hands placed upon his back. He shivered from the complete loss of heat throughout the entirety of his body, letting not even her hands try to relieve the discomfort. One last sniffle was enough to bring in a short whiff of her nice body scent. Oh... even that would’ve been enough to provide a sliver of joy...

One last time, she patted his back lightly, a little more than enough to knock him back to his regular state. “Is that better?” she almost whispered.

He nodded, not quite sure what she was asking, though it had to be something related to his feeling or well-being overall. The very least he could do for her assistance was to not let her bother herself tending to his every need. He’d had more than enough experience out in the wild—he could very well find the food and water he required to survive on his own time.

She patted his back once again, which wasn’t quite as nice as stroking his head—bare or clothed—but it still was a little comforting. Slowly, she made her way off the bed and just in front of him, keeping a hand over his back and hand the entire time. Only about half of her eyes were visible from the angle he stared the floor down with.

“I... apologize if I am remaining oblivious to your decision, but you’d prefer to stay with me, yes?”

At least she hadn’t mentioned _that_ again, otherwise, he’d be back crying again, letting himself edge closer to the possibility of an even more dire mental situation than his mind really played it out to be.

“Alright.” Her body crept closer at a steady pace until the distance between herself and the bed was smaller than even her own hand, probably. Ever so slowly, she lifted the heat off his back, letting him shiver once more, and only his hand provided with any sort of retribution for the frigid wrath, plaguing his entire body for long since he could recall. “I can provide a short display of my household, since you will be with me for some time.”

The tone of her voice sounded genuine, as if she truly meant what she’d been saying. Her softness in speaking was just an added bonus, too. It mentally calmed himself little by little, just enough to keep him cool throughout the impending panic attacks otherwise looming in the back of his mind. One false move by either of them, and he could very well be crying his way back to the dead tree. If even making it there before collapsing of hunger.

At last, what little warmth she physically provided was lifted off his hand, letting him shake once again. He’d been quite noticeable in doing so, probably, so she either didn’t notice he was cold, or didn’t care. Maybe he’d be able to reassure himself at least a little by believing the former until his hopes were utterly crushed, reprocessed, and sent back with the added glint of his countless reminders that any sort of communication with another individual was completely futile, and any attempt to do so would lead to the single expected result.

Her body slowly slid away from him, taking a rest at the far side of the bed, where she turned around to face him directly. Was she asking something of him? Or...

Despite how little the situation was to affect anyone, really, at the moment, he couldn’t help but consider all the possible disastrous outcomes that might occur in the near future. For one, he’d decided to stay with her without exactly receiving specification on what she would provide. Only then, with just a short spare moment to himself while she was presumably preoccupied, did he look back at the decision and decide that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to swing into the situation blindly and hope for the best. Or, maybe not “swinging into the situation”, but more so being forced into it. She said she was just trying to let him a nice rest for a night, but looking back on what had really happened, he quickly realized that he hadn’t exactly been given another option. Any attempt to flee, or even fight back was worthless. In the former’s case, it was because she had all those gadgets and whatnot she needed to capture him on a moment’s notice... presumably. For the latter... it was more than obvious to anyone that his character contained more futility than fortune.

So lost in his consideration, he hadn’t even noticed the several soft calls for him to join her out into the hall. By the time he finally lost track of his last thought process, she had once again taken place before the bed, staring down at him with a concerned look as had the day prior. She really had no idea, did she?

Her hand landed atop his head once more, making him shake from the sudden change of heat. It felt nice, of course, but best not take advantage of the situation by expressing his emotion about it, otherwise some penalty was sure to follow.

“I will take care of you to my fullest extent,” she assured him in the softest tone already spoken several times before. “I promise.”

If all that was about him staring off at the wall again, then she was severely misguided. It was nice to see she came back to provide the statement, sure, but that wasn’t exactly the cause for his brief spurt of absentmindedness. At least he got to feel her warmth once more, which he really cared about more than the reassurance itself.

She backed up slightly, though not removing her hand this time. “Come. The least I can provide for you is a tour of my household.”

He still remained motionless, unsure if even moving at all was imminent of her expectation. Full control over himself was still held in her power, so it wasn’t like he’d be able to object if it did. Probably just best to exact orders for the time being... unless she was trying to imply he should be doing something. Which she might have been doing just a moment ago, and if he waited too long, there would be a punishment right then and there. Or, if he did try to do something he thought had been implied, but she hadn’t specifically asked for it, then there would be another problem. Oh no... hopefully he’d be able to learn the procedure soon enough, as it might be while if was to ever make it out. Unless... it was a truly suitable place to stay... Impossible, really, what was he thinking?

Before even snapping out of thought for the second time in a couple of minutes, his hand was lifted up gently, off the bed and into her own pair of hands. With both of them clasped over his own... oh, it felt so nice. It taunted the expectation of his other one, though, with the comfort provided by heat that it didn’t get to experience. That conflict between his hands... better not last too long. It’d be for his own sanity.

“Come,” she repeated.

Nervous of the possible effects from any of his actions, he slowly picked himself up, still having an intense staring competition with himself and the point where the wall and floor met. A moment passed... and he was alright. Okay, okay, maybe it wouldn’t be so difficult, after all. Just take time, listen closely, and he’d be alright. It’d be nice to ignore what possible punishments she could come up with... hopefully not worse than... that...

His hand was gently tugged away as she started toward the door, now having completely forgotten his any expression altogether. That was fine. Not like he hadn’t experienced that enough already. Maybe a little too quickly, he hurriedly moved in toward her so she wouldn’t get annoyed waiting for him. It was probably best not to stay too close to, for her... personal space? Was that what others called it?

She moved slowly, so, so slowly, but that was probably to accommodate for his sluggish nature in general, at the moment. He was so incredibly famished that even a rock or two might satisfy himself for even a moment. Actually, nevermind that last regard to eating. Rocks... had been attempted before, and... it was a painful experience, to say the least. That, and he didn’t get any sort of nourishment afterward. So instead of rocks, maybe a week old moldy apple instead. Those were still painful—less in the physical sense—but they at least satisfied the near-constant pleas of his stomach, which arrived so commonly that he’d forgotten what life sounded like without them. Say, now that he thought about it, he hadn’t received the sound of it since he’d arrived, yet. Oh, wait... that was probably a bad thing.

The two slowly made their way into the hall, leaving the somewhat embarrassing memory from the day prior to infect his mind. Oh, and speaking of that, did she even bother to grab his spellbook when taking him in? It probably wouldn’t even matter, anyway. Unless she kept up the attitude she’d shown toward him for an indefinite period of time, it wouldn’t even matter if the possession remained with him or not.

Down the walkway a short distance, she made way for the first of a few rooms—maybe four, he wasn’t paying too much attention to anything besides the plain floor. Orders were orders, and if he didn’t receive the word, he wouldn’t make the action. In his mind, that included releasing hold of her hand, or even looking up. And still, she cared enough to grasp it gently... probably just so she could take him along without hassle. If that was her intention, though, why was her hold so loose?

Her free hand moved up to his head once more, which, again, was nice. Did that mean... what? Look up? Look up, alright. Maybe? It gently stroked across his head, and at that point, he didn’t even know what was trying to be attempted from her perspective. With him looking down all the time, it may not have exactly looked like he was handling himself well. Oh, if only he had the mental strength to tell her otherwise without fear or worry of receiving something negative in compensation for his act.

“This... this is my experimentation centre.” Her voice stood a little limply, fragile as her form halted itself from absent command. Distanced, it may have been, himself hardly able to concentrate.

He continued his eyesight at a slanted angle toward the floor, having rotated his head just enough to see a short sliver of the room ahead, which, even from what little could be observed, looked to be all over the place. A couple of tables were placed along the ground, each with their own set of what looked to be unfinished tools and gadgets, but he had no idea. One end of the room held several drawers, maybe, all closed, and with no visible way to open them. A single stool was placed beside each table, though they most certainly didn’t appear to be comfortable. Experimentation, did she say it was? Did that mean...

The gaze he held remained fixed on no point in particular, leaving him once again lost in his imagination. Only for a moment until coming back to his senses, then he turned back to the floor in complete uncertainty of several factors—namely whether she’d try to stop him if he decided to sprint out the door again. Without his spellbook, of course, but he’d managed for long enough without it.

“Are you content with your observations?”

He nodded, still not bothering to change his focus. At least she’d decided to be more specific, this time.

She started out a short distance, picking up a slight bit of speed upon noticing him straggle along behind. For whatever she had just asked of him, if even anything at all, he seemed to have accomplished it quite well, actually. No scolds directed toward him, not even a change of expression in her eyes. Alright, then, just keep cool, and follow orders. Follow orders, and all would be swell. Or, at least, decent enough, hopefully.

Another door slid open as they approached, though, again, he didn’t take any interest in making so much a quick gaze at the new room. Probably for the better, in his mind, as he hadn’t been given any direction, yet.

“This is my washroom. I... I have only suited it for myself in the past, though I can perform some modifications to accommodate for yourself.”

Oh, hey, she at least cared that he’d be able to... do whatever it was in a ‘washroom’ that would concern him. Maybe, he could just sneak in a quick look, as she hadn’t seemed to have minded last time... and... oh. He had no idea what any of the insides’ functions were. A short, stand-up pole, connected to a small bowl, with some sort of metal rod attached to the top side against the wall? It looked a little familiar, though he couldn’t quite grasp what it was supposed to be. Some... drinking, was it for? The back end of the room, opposite himself and his new caretaker, was a short wall, just tall enough to hide its full self from his perspective. Besides that, a few other cubic structures were littered along the wall, though, again, he couldn’t tell what they were supposed to be from where he was standing.

As for the purpose of this otherworldly—to himself, at least—location, erected within his savior’s household... much, much more than a mystery. Maybe he’d be able to find out what it was for soon enough, in case he was to be using it for something. She’d no doubt have the answer to its intention, though he was plainly too shy to ask. It hadn’t seemed like she was one to unleash her frustration on others, though, and even if it was only an act, she hadn’t set it off just yet.

“Are you satisfied with your view?”

Another nod slipped from his mind, to the complex wiring system of his even more complex body, to, at last, his head, allowing for a mere slide of the top half of his body against the thin air that composed the innards of her household. Still steady, still going alright.

There was a good deal of hesitation before she decided to move from the spot still occupied by them both, no real apparent reason why. Impossible to perceive, of course, but he simply knew her eyes were focused back on the top of his head. It also wasn’t a mystery that she probably had another distressed look in her eyes, once again almost begging for her own hands to reach down and stroke his “vulnerable” point once more. A certain motion from those delicate surfaces of hers, and oh... he wanted to feel it again so badly. Especially with his hood lowered, a single caress against his bare fur would be a more than adequate method of sending him to a drowsy, half-asleep state, where anything else comforting seemed to have its effects multiplied exponentially. Unfortunately, he hadn’t had its full potential revealed, but there was certainly something else to come if the experience was prolonged. Oh, if only...

His eyes blinked rapidly, several times over, as they recovered from his short dazed state, lost deep down in the darkest reaches his mind could ever extend. He’d already been involuntarily following along with her pace, which he couldn’t tell if was a subconscious action, or some sort of trick she’d done without him noticing. Oh, well, he was back in control now, anyway.

The last of the quadruple of rooms led the two to repeat their same procedures—her leading the way forward, looking down upon him in waiting, and him fixing his gaze on the floor, more so because of habit than because of willingness. His mind wandered off a little as she attempted to explain something to him, the room, of course, though he was too far gone to be able to focus on anything. A single sentence was spouted from her head, then a second, in more or less the same manner. Upon reaching her second repetition, her voice grew on with concern, he could tell by her tone, though the exact words were nothing more than odd sounds from his viewpoint. Just... another, of several, many sounds, coming from outside, inside, the walls, floor, everything. She... she felt nice to hold on to...

As he came back to, he expected to be met with something off in her expression or overall attitude, probably impatience, with how much he was stopping for seemingly no reason other than just to waste her time. Instead, though, and much an unexpected arrival, she held a hand still between his two ears, at least keeping himself satisfied enough to stare slightly below her eyes quite timidly. Again, with the concern. And... for him, of all people?

“Are you feeling alright?”

He nodded, still too nervous to speak even a single word. He could even feel the words able to reach his mouth, though his mind was the only barricade standing in their way of his insides and her reach of hearing.

“Oh, I... I was only curious.”

Alright... then.

His stomach yelped out in immense pain, once again reminding him of how much the hunger was truly paining him at the moment. Oh boy, he’d gone so much longer than he had already without even a bite to eat—probably, he couldn’t remember exactly how long his record was—and it wasn’t normally supposed to hurt so much, so early on. His free hand instinctively clutched the side of his chest as a sharp jolt of pain reached out toward it, though it was impossible to keep it steady for even a moment.

It would’ve been quite nice had she not noticed, but she didn’t seem to care a whole lot about what his mind asked for. There’d have been an opportunity given to him for a quick bite to eat on his own time, and maybe a moment to really consider what should be done about his new situation, if anything. Instead, though, the backside of her hand was soon placed over his chest, not far from the side of his own disembodied appendage. For just a short moment, he could feel the warm aura of her hand slowly transmit its strength all across his once again freezing body, just so, so nice, until it was soon removed. Can’t have that luxury forever, really.

As soon as her hand was retracted back to her own body, the stinging sensation throughout his entire body—hands included, even—quickly faded away, leaving him back to his original, fatigued state. Better than a moment ago, but still, it’d be much better if he could just go outside and grab an apple or two to snack on.

“Would you like something to eat?”

Or that. That’d work, too.

Without even giving a second thought, he gave his tacit approval once more, adequately convinced by the promise of something to eat. And from an actual other person, too? Oh, boy, he hadn’t a clue what other people usually ate, but hopefully it was better than the occasional half-moldy apple he managed to find in a literal forest of mushy ones.

“Come with me.”

She was still holding his hand—lightly, thankfully, otherwise it’d hurt a whole lot, being so famished—so it wasn’t like he had much of another option. He stared off at the ground for a moment until receiving a light tug on his hand, quickly revealing its intended result as he made a quick burst ahead to keep up with her already slow pace. Even in such a short distance to move, it was enough to drain most of what little energy still lingering in his body. She wouldn’t be lying now, of all times, would she?

Down to the very end of the hall, his stomach lurched out once more, paining him enough to force his eyes shut. Almost enough to strike him down to the ground, completely incapable of so much as twitching his body without losing the small amount of strength he still clinged on to. He kept just barely enough to keep up and going, any less and he’d probably be collapsed in his own puddle of putrid fluid. Even closing his eyes was enough to let more of his precious energy seep out into the air.

At the end of the corridor, maybe, he couldn’t tell with how slumped he was at the moment, he fought his hardest not to fall over on the ground, more so because he didn’t want to inconvenience her than that he cared about his own health. He’d just lose consciousness for a while, then when he was all back and ready to go, he could go find something to satisfy his hunger for a while. Fortunately, her hands came to the rescue as his stifled groan escaped his mouth, having decided to have carried his entire body out... somewhere. Oh, if she felt like doing that for him, that was alright. Just... a little more energy to himself, after all...

Not even a minute later and he was set down on a smooth surface—quite cold, actually, and by no means comfortable otherwise—as she quickly abandoned him from the elevated ground. Oh, what was it time for, now? What did regular people even do in a normal household when they were hungry? Well, besides eat, of course, but she’d just promised food... and he didn’t even care how greedy his mind sounded, but where was it?

His mind trailed off a few times, then completely cut itself off in an attempt to keep the rest of his fragile body conscious. Oh... oh, that was bad. He’d gotten hungry several times before, but... it never got to this point.

Soon enough, he felt himself returning back to his regular state, just hungry, was all. Alright... that was certainly something, then. What was he doing on a... long platform, thing... of all places? Sure, he’d just been set on something above the rest of the ground, but what was this for? He was the only thing placed on it, which really turned out to be a lot more unnerving than it truly was. Unless, she... of course, decided to do something with him, but hopefully not, right? Right? She was nice, and she wasn’t doing anything bad, so he’d be alright. Just fine, just fine, forget about any negative possibilities.

A door opened up at the end of the corridor he’d already forgotten the layout of, revealing her fast approaching with... a bag, maybe? Upon seeing his mostly recovered state—at least, what he liked to believe, there was nothing else he could see different about himself from just a moment ago—she turned her head for a moment, then continued forward in a steady pace. In a few moments, she stood just in front of him, her head standing only a little taller than the entirety of his sagging body. For some odd reason, he could feel a short tingling sensation shoot up his body, only for a moment before she set her container down and started out toward the far end of the entry room—more of an area than a true room, really.

The open opportunity, sitting literally directly in front of his face, was immediately nabbed by the powerless egg still lying awkwardly on what appeared to be a long table. It was connected to the wall though, but again, he had no idea how a normal household worked. It stretched out from a room’s outer wall to the house’s inner wall—maybe, still rather difficult to see without getting up, which, of course, wasn’t happening any time soon—appearing to contain absolutely nothing except himself, still. The opposite end of the room, though difficult to perceive in his limited field of view, contained another table much like the one he was on, except it had a solid piece beneath it for the entirety of the shelf’s portion. Or maybe the one he sagged on had that, too but he really couldn’t tell. She was doing something over there, though he couldn’t tell what—her bright, pink hair was the only way he could notice. In between himself and the area she roamed in, nothing remained.

Before being able to see much else, she finished with whatever task she had occupied herself with, then returned to where he sat with another strange object in her hand, this time being a milky square, maybe, though he wasn’t able to get an adequate view.

“Are you feeling well enough to swallow on your own?” she asked with an added touch of concern, also present in her expression.

Yes, of course he was. How he was supposed to answer, though... another nod? A little difficult to do on the platform he was stationed on, but he managed to pull it off well enough to let her know.

Her hand quickly slid under his chest, the other placed over his body, of course ready to lift him up again, though she didn’t proceed with the motion. Maybe because she feared something might occur to his detriment as a result, but he felt fine. It’d be easier to swallow while seated upright, anyway, didn’t she know that? Or maybe it didn’t, he was just guessing based on what it felt like in his experiences.

She fiddled around with whatever object it was in her hands, emitting a short click—it sounded like, though it could’ve been much different than what his weakened state perceived—then placed it a short distance in front of his eyes. It looked like... that stuff at the bottom of pools, except clean, of course. Uh, what was that supposed to be?

“Would you like assistance ingesting?” His hood was raised, leaving only his eyes visible from her perspective, yet she still seemed to have spotted his concern on digesting whatever the object sitting in front of himself was supposed to be. “It is a pleasure of mine. I occasionally take it myself, when I’d like a refreshment throughout the day.”

As if that was supposed to reassure him. They hardly knew each other, what truly was it? But... food was food, and he was hungry, so what else could he say? Another weak nod came out, eager to finally eat something in such a long time. The last thing he ate... an apple, probably, it was really the only thing he ate at all. There had to have been at least one other thing he’d eaten once or twice in his life, but it was so many years ago, and so many apples past, that he couldn’t get even a faint grasp on what it was supposed to be.

“I must lower your hood to adequately perform this procedure.” That sounded a little familiar. And his immediate mental response, too. Oh, hopefully she already knew what he was hoping when a nod was given, otherwise he’d be in for another world of embarrassment. “Alright.”

A moment passed, then his eyes were revealed to the bright light of the indoors, blinding him for a moment as they attempted to readjust to the odd lighting conditions for himself. Probably exclusively for him, but that was a different matter to worry about. It wasn’t as cold as those caves, luckily, but the familiar gust of cold wind was still prevalent. Maybe she’d... give him one, nice petting session before he had to have it returned back to normal. Oh, that’d be so nice... a shame it was a one time thing, really.

The clay-like thing was brought closer toward his face, approaching at a steady pace until he remembered he was going to be eating it. Though a little uncomfortable making any sort of motion on his face with his hood lowered, he forced his mouth open, just the slightest from how tired and embarrassed he already was. Hopefully it was enough... The object made the last slide forward, gently edging its way into his mouth until the last of it was inside. Oh... did he get any spit on her hand? Hopefully not...

His hood was set back over himself to the best of her ability, though she had no idea how to do so properly, and as such, the magic guarding his face from any unwanted views was very likely not in effect. There was little he could do about it at the moment, too, seeing as his hands weren’t exactly in the best shape to be moving at all. He was too exhausted to chew, even—he just swallowed some spit a few times in hopes the whole thing, or at least a chunk of it, would get sent down his throat and into his dying stomach. As for whatever it was supposed to be in the first place... it really didn’t taste like anything. He could probably squish it up and mold it into whatever he wanted to, still within the confines of his mouth, even. At the very least, it wasn’t bad, for say, which was more than fine for him.

A small piece soon broke off, quickly getting sucked down toward his crying insides to be transformed into much, much needed energy. It hopefully wouldn’t take too long for the rest of it, otherwise his body would be aching with odd pain until it was all finished. If it was even enough to satisfy himself for even a minute or two, as he had no idea if the amount he’d been given was a lot or close to nothing for what was needed. That former, hopefully.

Much time later—quite nearing an endless period, in his perspective—and only about half or so was consumed, prepared to be sent back where it entered if need be, instead as a much less pleasant substance. His mouth wasn’t so much twitching at all, so she must have assumed she was finished, which he really didn’t mind. He could finish up on that thing while they were doing... other things.

“Was that satisfactory?”

Sure, sure. He was much too... pleasured, maybe? Much too feeling of something to respond in any way, though hopefully she knew regardless. At least... it was enough to start looking around. Maybe not to move otherwise, but she’d just carried him along down the hall, couldn’t she just... do it again?

A little difficult to do from his position, but still, he immediately made the mistake of looking directly into her eyes, still quite worried as they stared down upon his poor, fruitless body. As for redeeming traits, he couldn’t think of any, but that wasn’t the time to be pondering about that. Soon as he did so in the first place, he stared back down toward the wall, then the ground beneath him, still awfully uncomfortable at looking into another person’s eyes.

“I’ve noticed you were quite... soiled, beneath your clothing.” Oh, right. The mention of anything regarding what lay beneath his robes was quite enough to make him flush, probably hidden by his fur, luckily, but he couldn’t tell. “I was considering a wash for you, if that would be something you’d like.”

A... wash? As in... water? Oh no. Just no.

“I’d merely like your input on the matter.”

Yes, please. Or, no, as in, no cleans. Sure, he might be the filthiest being alive beneath those robes, but the mere mention of using water for anything besides drinking was enough to send him running off in fear from his own internal voices—the only ones that could even mention it to him in the first place. It’d been so long since he’d been forced into one that... he had no idea what it felt like to be “not dirty”.

He turned to the side wall for no reason other than because he could, then remembered what was being asked and shook his head quickly, involuntarily letting out a silent whimper. That wasn’t supposed to happen, but oh well. It was in the past, and she hadn’t minded them before, so it didn’t appear to be a problem.

She sighed dismayingly, then leaned toward him slightly, just enough to allow her head to be seen from his shallow angle of eyesight. He quickly turned away so as not to even be able to see her eyes at all.

“I know it might be uncomfortable for you, but it is important to keep proper hygiene.” A hand rested atop his back once more. Nice, again. Now that he looked back, he didn’t exactly have any sort of power to object to her decisions, so maybe it’d be best to just comply and get it over with.

With very little effort, she lifted his frail body up and set it down leaning against the back wall. He was seated slumped over slightly, though he didn’t want to climb up any higher solely for the fact that the two were already at eye level. Any taller and he’d have to crane his head farther than was feasibly possible to achieve the little satisfaction in not making eye contact. Lucky enough to be sitting at all, as it was—his hands trembled even as they readjusted themselves along the cold surface beneath his much colder body.

From the outer reaches of his eyesight came the slight view of quite apparent distress in her expression, again. “This is merely a suggestion, but...” She let out another soft sigh and turned around for a moment. “If you would allow it, I may force your body unconscious for the procedure.”

It still didn’t quite settle well with him about the idea in general. Not really the whatever she was doing to make him unconscious for it, that was fine by him. He was more so worried about the bath itself, of all things, which even he was considering was normal. An “experiment” performed over his own body? Sure, go ahead. He’d been through a lot, blacking out for however long she pleased would be fine. A pool of water, supposedly, to completely drench his body, though? Not a chance.

Actually, though... anything she pleased? Well, what could she even do with him unconscious, anyway? He’d really only be of use when awake, so he could do her chores or something, whatever she chose, so what bad could come from pretty much falling asleep for a while? At least, that’s what he thought it was like. Sure, he’d experienced it before when exhausted or starving, and it was merely as if he had taken a nap, except nowhere near refreshed afterward. Just fine enough to get going and sort out whatever issue had caused his terrible rest in the first place.

Unsure if the question was still open, he nodded, much internal debate having gone into the single motion that would decide his soon fate. Whether enough to relieve her stress, that was predetermined, though the procedure itself would hopefully be a different outcome.

“Alright.” Her two hands edged toward him, but he didn’t even bother making an effort to retaliate. The results were expected, and rather... comforting, really. Almost as if... she struggled through in another body, only without the capability to reveal who she truly was inside. If... if only...

He was set on the ground with a single tear in his eye, left for the ground to attract the prey atop his face once again. Much to his hopes, not a single other drop was felt even attempting to escape his own prison of sorts. He just cared that he didn’t make any other sort of inconvenience for her once more—twice crying had to have been more than a valuable effort put in solely to calm him down, and she probably wouldn’t appreciate it so much if he bumped that number up to thrice.

A bit of warmth was clasped over his already decently satisfied hand, though it wasn’t like he was going to say no to any contact with her. “Come.”

She led the way down the hall, past the rooms he’d already forgotten, and into a room already, and regretfully, disregarded. He was still awfully attentive to the ground beneath the two of them, though it was a little unnerving to even be in the room in the first place. A few tables to weave around, drawers, it sounded like, she rummaged through for something... oh, something about it just didn’t seem right. The general atmosphere felt no different from the rest of the house, really just cold, more than anything, but it still was enough to make him shiver. Not from his own chilliness, for once in a long time, probably.

Upon finishing with her scouring, the familiar sound of her remote came, then she gently tugged his hand by for a moment, just until he started along as well. It was quite nice she wasn’t just dragging him along, though maybe that was because it would take quite a bit of effort on her end. Carrying, though... he really had no idea on her reasoning.

The two stopped before making it out the door, leaving him wondering if there was a water source somewhere in the room he hadn’t noticed on his first inspection. It was such a brisk look at maybe only half of it, so that was quite likely the case.

“Please, take this.” A small, circular tablet, quite tiny enough to fit in the palm of his own puny hand, was placed directly in front of his face, suspended in the air by her literally soft shade of yellow. “It will force your body asleep until I am finished.”

Eh, alright. Take it, then? Okay...

He held out his own hand with quite uncertainty, luckily only receiving the medication to descend upon it. He just expected... something else, maybe, in case he had heard or followed instruction wrong, but it turned out to be fine. Just fine and well, he was doing great so far. Or, she was just being lenient with him until later, but hopefully that wasn’t the case.

His eyes’ gaze met the flat cylinder with confusion. What... exactly was that supposed to be?

While he was distracted with the strange object lying within the palm of his floating hand, she picked some object off a table and held it down for him to see, as well. So focused, though, he almost didn’t even notice.

“Water, if you wish.”

The clear liquid was held within a short vial, not much taller than her own hand. A tube of glass didn’t seem like it’d be the most efficient form of drinking something on the fly, but once more, it was all a matter of his cluelessness to home life. Water... what for, exactly?

A short while passed as he continued staring down in nervousness, obviously with the expectation to do something, but without the clear idea as to what. It was no more than ten seconds, which, in his perspective, was much, much longer than that, and when the time was almost up, she decided to take action. Not to his detriment, lucky for him.

“Are you unfamiliar with this sort of medication?”

Medicine was something that he’d heard of... and not much else about it. If it looked like this, though, what could it even do? He shook his head sadly.

The odd object in his palm was taken from his own treasury to be added to hers. Another saddened look briefly flashed from his own threatened gaze.

“I must unhood you for this demonstration.”

Oh... okay...

He gave a confirmation, more so because he once again realized her overwhelming power than because he actually cared about her tacit question. At least she was giving prior warning, though. It might have made things a little better, if able to distance from it for a little longer than moments.

There were certainly a few moments in between his response and the cold wind reaching his bare face once more, though to him, it felt like there was no pause in between at all. One moment, he had relative comfort in the slight heat kept within, and the lack of a pair of eyes to stare him down, more importantly, and the next, both were taken from his inventory. Hopefully it wouldn’t take too long...

“Open your mouth, please.”

He immediately did as instructed, as embarrassing as it was. Any sort of movement on his face, open for another to see, and especially on his mouth, was enough to really make him regret agreeing to her offer in the first place. She _was_ asking, after all... oh no.

The water was dropped down into his mouth, left to seep all around into whatever unoccupied location could be found within. It was a little cold, but doable. In another moment, he could feel her hand brushing up against the fur lining it, and down dropped the bright object from just a moment ago. Again, like the little snack he’d finished just a few moments ago, it didn’t taste like anything. Uh, what exactly was she trying to do?

“Take a swallow.”

The water was downed easily, of course, and as it turned out, it was quite fresh. Definitely the best drink he’d ever had in his entire life... a shame it was less than what would fit in his cupped hands. The tablet, on the other hand, took a little struggle, getting stuck in the back of his mouth for a moment, though another involuntary swallow was enough to send it the same way. A little coldness lingered from the liquid’s state, just how he’d experienced when drinking from a pond, every time.

Almost immediately, he felt his eyes droop and his body weaken, thankfully not because of hunger. His blinks became heavy and more excessively prolonged, almost feeling a little nice actually. Longer and longer, they each became, until it took at least a full second to complete each one. Oh... it felt like a nice time to get some rest, for say. She... she wouldn’t like it, though... would she?

“Get some rest, now. I’m sure you’d like some time to restore your strength.”

Oh... so it was fine. Bedtime then could be anytime, and the wait could be no longer. So... actually, it would be quite nice to get some shut-eye for a while. Atop her warm hands, rocking him back and forth just like he was a baby. Even if he wasn’t so sleepy at the moment, he would’ve enjoyed the motion regardless, but at that point, it was just another excuse telling him to go on already with his subconscious plan.

Maybe she moved, maybe she didn’t, he couldn’t tell from how relaxed he was. It wasn’t worth the effort to combat the dozing forces that worked against his consciousness anymore... sleep was nice. Especially when taken on something nice and soft, like what he could just about call pillows, at that point. His own book, just a day ago... much nicer to rest without it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I may have rushed this near the end in trying to get this done and over with.
> 
> Whoops.


	3. Restart Function - 100%

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Susie needs to go to work, and she can't exactly leave a boy home alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for slight mentions of nudity in this chapter. I say 'slight' because it's there, but I don't go into detail. Just referenced, but still in play, pretty much.

Waking up on the softest of comfortable surfaces he’d ever touch was an incredible feeling. All that nice warmth from the sheets, and just the general sensitivity of the cushions in general, he’d never be able to get enough of it. Not after so many years of dead trees, dark glades, even the middle of nowhere, and so, so much more. It was really a good thing she hadn’t known about his past experiences in general, out in the wild, fetching everything for himself. Not once had he seen someone pass by and stop and even think to assist a poor child such as himself, alone and defenseless for the entire universe to unleash its mighty wrath down upon him, something he’d had to cope with for so long that he barely even minded when always feeling like he was about to collapse at any moment. Just another bland day for him to stumble through, hoping there would be food waiting for him somewhere, else he’d trudge through with constant aches and stomach pain throughout the day.

Maybe she had known about his entire past life. He really had no idea, since she’d revealed little more than her voice and appearance that she very well may have been experimenting on him in his sleep. If that was the case, then at the very least, he hadn’t felt anything, and he still felt alright enough to move about for the day and all. Really, all he cared for—if food and water weren’t available, then so be it. He’d gone quite some time without them, he’d fare well enough to continue onward. It’d really be best if she simply never knew of his past experiences, for some reason even he himself didn’t understand. It wasn’t that he was uneasy with someone else learning his personal life, that was fine. It was more so that... he just wanted to keep it all to himself, or something along those lines. Sure, it might continue to infect the last of safe keepings within his mind, but those warm thoughts from before he closed his eyes again... oh, they were incredible. Even just a single hug was enough to push back the opposing forces by miles, he could hardly imagine what anything more was capable of.

His entire body actually felt awfully warm, even more than last time he was in bed. Maybe a little too much, but again, he was far too relaxed to do anything about it. Just a slight bit more consciousness within and he may have noticed his bare fur brushing against the silky sheets, tingling his body in such a way that it might even send him back to sleep. Really, he felt awful that it all had to end, though, as Susie was more than likely expecting him. Where she was was a mystery, but he really needed to go find her. If she was alright with it, of course, else he might as well just be heading outside the next chance he got.

Immediately upon opening his eyes, he spotted just the person he was soon-to-be looking for, giving him the concerned expression that was more so reassuring than what was probably intended by that point. She hadn’t been stroking him like last time, unfortunately, but he’d already gotten well enough of her warmth. It was certainly some effort in doing what she already had, and he really didn’t want to burden her any longer, instead, he was prepared for any busy work she had in mind. Even the bed alone would be enough to convince him to serve under her, as it was far better than anything he’d experienced out on his own.

Also immediately perceived was his complete lack of any clothing over his body, embarrassing him far more than he believed was possible. At least the covers were over himself, but it was still an awful situation overall. He instinctively pulled it as far as he could over himself without obscuring his vision, though they immediately fell back down to their original state upon his remembrance of everything being provided for him. If she wanted the covers at that exact state, then in no way was he going to object, especially considering that she had decided to take him in.

“Oh, I’m sorry if I startled you.”

‘Startle’ was actually closer to what he’d felt this time around, but it was still quite more than that. Frighten would serve as a suitable description, actually, as at least he knew where he was expected to be. The general vicinity, at least, but not that she’d be directly in front of him again.

“You were asleep for quite longer than I expected.”

Had she mentioned the presumed bath given to him, he probably would’ve frightened himself, but luckily, she kept shut. He felt his fur all nice and clean, at least, and it felt oh so good. As soon as he was alone, he was sure to see just what had happened to it while his mind had left the physical realm for a while.

His eyes wandered off a few times, glancing between the very edge of her body and the familiar junction of the wall and floor. It was sure to become his new “best friend”, if he was to stay any longer, more because he’d be standing by it, silently providing his tears for it to see than anything normal people would be doing. And in return, he’d receive the sweet sensation of silence, one that he’d become so accustomed to over several years of sitting in the moonlight, begging for his eyes to force himself asleep for even a moment. He loved that sound—or lack of, more like—as it provided some time for him to think over several different things, what to eat, where to sleep, and how much longer until he had to rest. It was his favorite thing to hear in the world, besides one exception he’d listened to on multiple occasions in the past few days. It didn’t seem like she was to stop any time soon, either, which was quite a relief.

“I presume you’d like your clothing returned.” He considered whether she was tacitly asking a question out of him for a second, soon giving up upon realizing he wasn’t going to answer in the first place. “One moment, please.”

She reached over toward the adjacent stand, unintentionally forcing his body back in lack of an expected result. Much fear lay in the few moments of her hand somewhat approaching, whether she was to pull him out from under the covers, or maybe even for physical chastisement as compensation for his irritating sobbing since she’d first found him. Even he realized it was annoying, and he did his best to conceal it, but sometimes, there was nothing that could be done. In both those times, though, she had decided to give him hugs, which he happily welcomed into his most important recollections, something he still remained awfully confused over.

Instead of anything detrimental occurring to his inconvenience, it was merely his robes that were affected, having rested atop the small table just beside him. His first thought was that she’d be taking them away, and he’d have to do something to get them back, though he was gladly mistaken. They were merely placed a short distance from his chest, though, again, he had no idea if he was expected to be doing anything unless she decided to verbally direct him. Back to that whole implications idea from earlier, though, she may have been asking him to pick them up and do something, maybe not even related to the object in question at all.

“Please, take it.” With much hesitation, his hand creeped out and gently snagged onto the edge of his clothes, in which they were then allowed to drop onto the rest of his somewhat covered body. He instinctively flinched as they landed, yet even he didn’t understand why. “I have given them a thorough wash since you last were in possession of them.”

Oh? Alright... Maybe he wasn’t fine with himself getting cleaned—consciously, at least, if she’d done so in the time since he’d taken that pill, he didn’t feel a thing—then he sure was fine with his clothing getting the same treatment. His clothing, as far as he was concerned, hadn’t been washed since he was a baby... he really didn’t get how they still fit him, but maybe it was some sort of magic placed over them. As to who did so, that was probably something he should just ignore in fear of more vexation to the person just beside him.

She stood up and backed away a short distance, facing him the entire time. It may have been to reassure him, but he had no idea, for several reasons already gone over within his mind even more times, though possibly also due to the fact that his head simply refused to budge from its position, providing a great inability to even see her. What little could still be observed mostly lay in her hair, of course, seeing as it was the most apparent part of her attire, but even then it was barely within the edges of his peripheral sight.

“Some privacy, I’m sure you’d prefer.” She turned around to make the last stretch of her extremely brief journey to the hall, facing him once more upon exiting the room, though not reaching a good enough distance away to let the door shut. “Please get dressed. I will be waiting in the hall when you are finished.”

The door closed in the next moment, finally allowing some time alone, but he didn’t even bother to move. His mind was beyond lost, having delved into several different concepts of his objective, his status, his situation overall, and even her own attitude. All were adequate, much to his relief, yet even with everything in line, he couldn’t make himself move from his spot. It wasn’t the comfort that forced him down, but he didn’t exactly know what it was, either. Maybe the general shock of how she continued her care toward him, spiced up with a bit of warm thoughts about touching her warm body, and that’d probably cover it, actually.

Of course, though, she had just asked him to get dressed, and if he was to continue onward strongly, he needed to make haste in following orders. If she decided to provide even a shelter for him, the very least he could return was any sort of help in making her life easier, even if it merely dropped down to not bothering her. Say... if she asked him to remove any pests from her household, he’d do it. If she asked him to kill any pests in her house, and then eat them, he’d still do it. Sure, with much reluctance, but he’d still do it. It was probably better to remain indoors with a cruel master than to be cold outside with free will, so he was sure to be taking the former option, no matter how badly the situation could turn out.

At last, upon a growl of his stomach snapping his mind back in place, he decided to get moving, finally. She was certainly expecting him, so he really shouldn’t be dawdling even at all. His entire body was rather weak, as always, from the lack of nutrition, but time and time again, he’d proven his stomach wrong about how desperately it required something to satisfy its wishes for just a moment. Still, though, it’d be best to find something to eat before it got too much worse.

With a small deal of effort from how much resilience his body put up to budging, he made his way up and off the bed, clutching his clothing tightly with both hands. If... if she had some sort of way to still see inside... that’d be another situation he’d never forget. There didn’t appear to be anything that revealed the possible fact, but he still remained with unease just thinking about the possibility. Okay, maybe she truly didn’t care to see him get dressed, so he’d be alright. Nothing to worry about, just get the clothing on and head outside where she’d be waiting.

Only upon straightening out his robes did he fully realize that he’d completely forgotten how to put them on in the first place. So long ago, he’d received assistance in clothing his furry body, a given, as he wasn’t even old enough to speak coherent thoughts, yet. Since then, he couldn’t recall a single time he’d had to take them off or put them on without any sort of guidance, really, or even at all. There looked to be a single point of interest that could be of use—the eye hole, at the moment really just a hole in general—leading to his first train of thought to point him in a single direction. Whether the plan would work or not was up to the leading moments to decide.

Much effort later, after several rounds of flattening out the silky smooth surfaces against himself to make sure they’d fit well, the robes still remained dormant within his grasp, considering whether they’d soon be put over their familiar rest position or not soon enough. A good deal of odd discomfort arrived from the idea of putting on his own clothes, possibly because he’d had such little experience in doing so, though his mind stated otherwise, not even having the spirit to specify why. The true cause rested within the back of his subconscious, having been shoved so far back in an effort to make sure it was never to be undisclosed that it might as well be removed from the process and forgotten entirely. From the opposing side, his inner thinking at least attempted to relieve his unnecessary stress by pointing out how soft his robes truly were when clean and fresh, so much nicer than even the bedsheets. When they were dirty, they always happened to be rough and scratchy, but this was so much better. Oh... he really shouldn’t, but...

Before anything had the chance to argue otherwise, he chest was placed against the bed, squishing down his already flattened clothing into the ‘meat’ of the randomized sandwich. A few times, he patted it with his even more crushed hands, sliding it against his fluffy body to create the most relaxed feeling he’d ever experienced in his entire petty life. They were so, so incredibly soft, silky smooth, better than anything that ever dreamed of being discovered naturally, so it truly made sense in his nonchalant mind to embrace it with all his nonexistent warmth, all having been sucked out immediately upon getting up, or placed into the bed and it’s new guest. It felt incredible, even better than her caring for his half-asleep body, patting and stroking it with her gentle caresses, as with his full consciousness in tow, he could truly enjoy its full potential.

A few moments later, he unwillingly found himself laid down on the bed, clothes in hand as his eyelids stared at the empty ceiling. It was quite a bit colder, but the satisfaction in stroking his own fur was enough to distract himself from the situation for long enough to continue with his procedure. When cleaned, with whatever frightening process that had been undergone on his unconscious body... it was just so, so good. Even better than his robes, but not quite as good as when her hands landed on his bare skin. He simply didn’t have the gentle touch she possessed naturally, it seemed, but even on his own, it was well enough for his liking. Keep it all up, and he very well could force his eyes closed long enough to fall asleep, just like how a certain someone else used to do when he cried at the setting sun, a speck of dust landing on his face, and whatever else his infant mind could come up with at the moment. He really shouldn’t be going ahead with it, and he made a distant mental note to make sure, but he was so far in with his procedure that it probably wasn’t recorded in any capacity.

Back down on his chest with a short roll, the heat continued to welcome him into a world of comfort and composure, well enough to send out a cool-tempered sigh. He could feel the odd heat attempting to join in the mixture of what else lay within his grasp, managing to succeed, though he wasn’t quite sure to be thankful for it or not. His own breath was sometimes warranted by the highest orders of his bodily systems, though mostly only on cold nights when he sat awake in wherever he’d decided to rest, struggling for hours, usually, to fall asleep once more and let the worsened suffering end. In the end, though, the entirety of his short-lived warm exhale quickly seeped out through the tiniest openings between his body and the bed, immediately being killed off by the rest of the house’s atmosphere from such a difference in heat. Just... maybe a little longer doing it all...

“Are you in need of assistance?” came her voice from outside, already having been completely forgotten of and thrown out of his thought process in favor of any other pleasurable sensation he managed to come across in the past few minutes, or however long he’d been going on for.

Hastily, he scurried back upright and onto the floor, having faced such shock in the unexpected arrival of external interruption that he managed to keep his own breathing silent. It usually was, regardless, a result of training to remain undetected in the midst of the night, but he didn’t even consciously realize he was doing so, it was so incredibly hushed. That experience... fantastic, while it lasted.

Had the voice come with expectation, he probably wouldn’t have responded regardless, coming as a result of his lack of knowing how to react in any sort of situation involving speech. Not even what little he’d heard from others was able to surface against his frozen sense of perception, hogging up all the space with worthless clogging of fear and nervousness that she’d known what he’d just been occupying the time with. Hopefully she wouldn’t get angry with him for spending too long inside...

Hurriedly, too quickly to be done practically, most certainly, his robes were pulled up and over himself, clumsily being set all the way up on the wrong side from how quickly he wanted to be finished up so he could suit her needs. Much struggle, and he managed to adjust it well enough so it wouldn’t immediately fall upon letting go, then he reached for his hood as fast as he ever had before, which happened maybe once every couple of days, depending on if he found any resources for the day or not. One hand managed to land on his intended target, the other groping around blindly for the accessory that simply wasn’t in the place he expected it to be, then he finally came to the conclusion that his clothes were on the wrong way. Twisting it around wildly in the opposite direction of the quickest, he considered returning back to the bed to continue on with stroking and feeling the softness of clean clothing for a moment, immediately setting it down as the reminder of her voice resonated within his mind. Set correctly, finally, his hood was lifted up awkwardly, leaving the time for it to be set up only in the moments between his idle position and reaching the door.

She stood almost immediately outside, close enough to startle him upon his exit, though far enough to keep the door shut. If the door’s condition was based on distance from it in the first place, at least his few first-hand experiences had told of. Still, she kept up her standard position, hands placed over each other to her front, looking to appease some invisible entity that had decided to converse with her from how long he’d been lingering inside for. Maybe it was just regular for someone to be keeping up such a formal pose around their house, though. His lack of understanding, explained far too many times already was enough to drive him away from coming up with reasoning, which was fine enough, really. Just some more brain power to be put in considering just how cold he truly was rather than some unnecessary task of useless info. Maybe a little odd in his perspective, but her posture almost seemed to calm him down just a bit, still not enough to keep his mind truly safe from anything, though.

“I’m sorry, could you move back into the bedroom? It would be more convenient to provide my information within.”

A sudden wave of shame hastily overtook him as her soft words entered his ears. He swiftly convinced himself he was in the wrong for moving out in the first place, as he was in full control upon making the decision to exit. As he shamefully stared at the ground, slowly edging his way back toward the doorway, he considered what might happen as a result of his wrongdoing. It... didn’t appear to be anything major, but the time may have come for his immense luck with her behavior to end, at last.

As his last movement was made to completely surround himself with the previous room, his mind considered letting a tear out or not. It almost succeeded in doing so, though had it not been for her standing beside him, it’d had been another full meltdown from his end. A minuscule breeze pushed against him as she slipped by, stopping just as she did on top of the bed. He glanced upward just enough to notice her on the back end of the cushion, patting the spot to her side gently.

“Sit, please.”

It was a rather gentle tone on her part, though his paranoia found itself a way to label her statement a sign of annoyance with him. Immediately, he moved on over and did his best to sit as far as he possibly could from her position, on the very edge of the bedside. He almost fell off at first, though he quickly regained his balance and stared down at the floor beside her as they continued with their regular procedures—one longing for the indignity to end, at last, the other probably considering what she could feasibly do with him without putting in any effort.

A soft sigh emerged from his side, immediately hushing his panicking thought process in mere moments. Quickly, it fought to regain its control over the recurring images of her speaking softly to him while she drowned out his sobs, back down in that tiny room within the awful cave system. If there was one thing he’d be taking away from that whole experience, if not the incredible pain he’d had to experience on the maniac overlord’s part, it’d be her entire character in general—anything he’d be able to remember, her stature, her bright hair, and the calming lullaby of her voice, most of all. Somehow, in his entire experience knowing her for all of a couple days, at most, not once had she lost her temper with him, or even raised her voice within his presence. He was much grateful for it, but by that point, his reassuring ideas had already lost the extremely brief mental skirmish, letting him tell himself that she’d eventually get to doing something with him. He wouldn’t even be capable of rebelling, after all.

“I understand you may dislike my next statement,” she began in her standard, mellow voice, ending the brief quietude that had engulfed them both, and the entire room in general.

She looked slightly off to the side so as to not be staring at the top of his head, impossible for him to notice, as only her hand was within his outer line of sight. Once, twice, he let out a shaky breath, quickly quieting it down in case she disliked his any noise. Had he kept his procedure unknowingly ongoing, he’d have been shivering before he had the chance to consider once more what she’d decide to have done with him. He did his best to feign unconcern.

“I must return to my office today. I’ve been away far too long, and I suspect I will be needed somewhere in one department or another.”

He continued staring downward, unsure of how that was supposed to affect him. Something might be brought back after her travels, though he wasn’t exactly sure what, if anything, as he had never seen or otherwise understood how a business was run, or how people who worked in them... well, worked. In office and at home, but he still didn’t know if it wasn’t out of the ordinary if he would be done something upon her return.

“I apologize for such short notice, but I simply cannot leave you here alone. I wish not for any possible threats to appear while I am gone, and possibly injure or otherwise harm you.”

For a single moment, he attempted to make sense of the simple explanation she had provided him, not quite understanding what she was trying to say, despite how painfully obvious she had made it. Only upon internally repeating it for the second or third time did he realize, quickly sending down a cold feeling and a shiver down his entire body. Not so much because he was scared of what to expect, but because he feared what he was going into without any prior knowledge of a company’s inner workings, how people completed their job, or if he was expected to be doing anything. The wall at least tried to calm him down with a sweet silence, though the floor didn’t care so much for what he longed for, instead emitting an odd tapping sound that resonated solely within his own mind.

Without even being given the chance to realize in time, she'd already slid the distance between them quickly, reaching her hands behind his back for something he had no idea for. Physical harm, possibly, or just a quick push so he’d fall off the bed, though he quickly realized her next move upon contact, allowing for a much wanted mental embrace. The soft squeeze was enough to drain out his suspicion’s little power that somehow managed to rule a strict monarchy over the rest of his general feelings, gladly forcing in all the diminutive cheerfulness he had left—plainly not enough for him to return the motion, though quite enough to mentally embrace it. Her heat was just as he’d remembered it, providing solely the hopes that she wouldn’t let go, and she wouldn’t find it as a way to punish him for what she’d provided in advance.

“I’m sorry I must do this,” she whispered a short distance from his ear, just right to calm him down a bit.

Unfortunately, just as the previous occurrences had told of, he was given such little time to completely welcome the new affection that, upon being let go, his body immediately reverted back to its common state, having lost any sort of energy provided to him without so much a trace to recall back to. It was so nice to be placed against her body, within her soft grasp and perfect warmth, but the universe contained such overwhelming power over him specifically that anything that could possibly be done to discomfit him, not matter how minor, would be sent his way, even if merely a loose branch bonking his head at the perfect moment. Awful he couldn’t even call back to her embrace at all anymore, but that was perfectly well deserved—he was being far too greedy in even receiving hugs in the first place.

At the very least, her hand was stationed atop his head within the next few moments, which was much better than nothing, he had to admit. He really tried his hardest to let the feeling go, not even acknowledge the warmth was even there, but his lack of the feeling for so many years far overpowered his opposing forces, swiftly defeating them and taking control of a lower subset of his memories, halting their entire process so to make room for the slight positives he could come up with at the moment.

“We must be going now,” she whispered, still a nice touch, even if not done without immediate prior mental comfort. “My company requires my presence, and I cannot spend any longer lingering behind.”

She quickly got off the bed and moved to the spot in front of him, finally cutting off his staring contest with the newly formed acquaintance in the wall. The floor was an awful lot worse, so there’d be no way he’d ever dream of even conversing with it. At least the wall wouldn’t torment him as he’d wander around the odd building, seeing as it was merely a single of many, scattered about across his worst opposer in a while.

Quickly, she took his hand and moved toward the door a short distance. “Come.”

He immediately complied.

Out through the doorway for probably the third or fourth time, he was beginning to lose track, the two made their way down the hall and into the entry room at a decent pace, a little more quickly than their previous time walking past the rooms. He still had no idea what the area was used for, most notably because the entirety of it was devoid of anything save for the table-looking structures against the walls. On top of the one he rested on, at least he thought so, was the odd bag she had carried when returning to him, something even more enigmatic than the rest of the room entirely. A combination of both was quite enough to force a shiver across his body, and despite how much his warm hand resisted, it wasn’t enough to evade the cold strike. Maybe, if she felt exceedingly satisfied at the moment, she wouldn’t decide to do something about what she’d presume was his attempt to annoy or discomfit her.

One more doorway led outside, where he immediately recalled his expedition from a day, maybe, prior, having been started in no particular direction, so far as he could tell. Though not easy from his lack of willingness to crane his head even the slightest, it was impossible to know exactly which direction he’d gone, which could turn out to be a problem if—when, more accurately—he was kicked out, as without any clear objective to be trailing throughout the day besides basic necessities, that dead tree could very well turn out to be his eventual home. Nice and cozy, much better than most places he’d managed to find, especially considering it was walled. Sure, flimsy and short, but structure was there.

She guided him off to the side of the house, it looked from what little he could see, far back until a tall mound of dirt became visible. It was about half his height, though immediately behind it was an even taller one, towering over them both, from what he could tell. His slight glance upward at it from just before his first time consciously entering the building not long ago revealed that it was an enormous hill, much, much taller than her entire residence. As to why she’d decided to live there, he had no idea, but he wasn’t an architect, much less someone who had relations to one—or even anyone at all, for that matter—so he wasn’t exactly one to judge another’s housing styles.

The familiar sound of a button press came from her remote, he could tell from the couple of times she’d done so in the past, though he couldn’t tell if anything happened. Maybe... it was silent... or not, actually. It sounded like something was dropping down from the sky, but there was no way he’d be looking up to tell what it was. Maybe he’d heard it before, though if he had, the memory was either too long ago, or occurred at a time when he wasn’t conscious enough to properly recognize it.

An enormous object slammed into the ground a short distance from them, frightening him with so much force that he nearly fell over in an attempt to jump back. Immediately, his breaths gave up any steadiness they may have possessed prior and traded it all out for hasty, quavering ones, enough to offset even his own hands from remaining still. He still cared that she didn’t mind his endless annoyances, even now, with how noisy he could tell his breathing was, and he did his best to keep at least his held hand still for just a moment, though it was utterly impossible in his situation.

“Oh...” She turned to face him, an apologetic expression having joined her once more, though he didn’t return the motion, instead staring at the hill’s shadow’s edge. “I’m so sorry. I suppose I should have properly warned of my next move so as not to frighten you.”

She at least managed to keep calm, despite his reaction to the whole situation, managing to counterbalance his intense fear just the slightest, though nowhere near enough to relieve any sort of stress still within him. Her calmness’ effects were most certainly not noticeable, not even to himself, which was truly saying something, given how much he’d managed to experience and get away with throughout his life without his mind paying much attention.

A single tear was let loose once more, and through his blank state of mind from the lack of anything to counteract his unease, the next few weren’t prevented. What little his subconscious decided to not let him know told that he at least wouldn’t make any audible sobs, which the other side of it thankfully accepted. The two conversed with each other for a moment, not even bothering to consider if their sole audience member would eavesdrop on the conversation, and despite how careless they were remaining with their conversing, they managed to conceal their thoughts to all but each other. Had they been let loose, he’d be crying completely once more, so at least that was something.

By the time his mind fully came back to, he was being set down on a familiar soft surface again, the very same one he’d felt like came so many times, yet hadn’t decided to reveal its true nature to him. She sat still, tinkering with something on a control panel in front of him, so many digital buttons upon it that they wildly outnumbered the amount of faces he could recall meeting. Three, was it? Or maybe four, he couldn’t remember.

“Please brace yourself,” she began, turning around to face him directly. “We will be lifting off at high speeds momentarily.”

It was impossible to hide the obvious unease within his eyes, despite how little they seemed to tell by themselves, so she was immediately by his side on the cushiony seat, just barely wide enough to hold them both. She lifted a hand over his side, pulling him in softly like the past few times she had completely, her other operating with the controls. As to why she decided to come to him, he had no idea, but hey, he’d take it while it lasted. Of course, not being long, but he’d make a note to remember it this time, and to not forget how it felt in case something happened in the very near future.

Above them both, a clear dome clasped itself over the somewhat short walls for whatever intent she had in mind. Suffocation? No, she was still in there with him, what point would she be making in doing it to herself? Unless, she had prepared for it prior, and sat by him merely to make it seem like he’d be alright. So sure, he might get to know what she was doing, but it wouldn’t make a difference at all, seeing as he wouldn’t be doing anything to retaliate.

From his perspective, it appeared as if they were in a large sphere with a flattened bottom, placed a good distance above the ground, though he was quite mistaken. Sure, he’d been in the machine a couple times already, though he was either too pained to realize or asleep in general both times, respectively. The cushion felt nice, at least, just as good as the bed, if not maybe slightly worse.

At last, a final button press was made on the control panel, and a jet sound exploded from beneath, loud enough only to be damaging if standing directly beneath its fiery wrath. The dome served as a perfect muffler for it, reducing all outside noise to nothing as he quietly gasped at their sudden liftoff, just as she’d spoken of. It was unintentional, of course, and he at least hoped she had some form of understanding that, otherwise all his irritation was sure to bite back on him somehow, be it from her directly, or whatever his awful luck had in mind. If he truly had to choose from one or the other, he’d take the latter in a heartbeat, as he was entirely unsure of what punishments others would generally have in store for an awful little whiner such as himself. Even if they were the same consequences either way, he wouldn’t change his pick.

As he continued staring down at the motionless floor, the entire world around them began to drop, faster and faster until, if he looked out and saw a point of reference, it’d whiz by as only a blur of color. His body felt awfully uncomfortable at all the foreign motion arriving at his expense, forcing him to hunch over a slight bit more than he already was. She didn’t seem to mind it all, instead deciding to lift her hand off then, of all times, when he felt like he could possibly puke at the entire situation. As to what she was doing, he had no idea, but it probably had something to do with all the buttons in front of them both, as, unless there was something else he hadn’t noticed earlier, that was the only thing that could possibly be of interest. To a boy like him, at least, though she might have been doing something else entirely.

Soon enough, the two had made it far beyond the planet he had remained on his entire life, twirling slowly in the darkness of space—a place he had longed to venture within for so long. Had he looked down, he’d have seen a bright star shape that housed him, as well as the one person he’d ever cared for, still venturing out until she found her destination. And now... he wasn’t even down there anymore. If.. if she would have stumbled across him had he not decided to go...

He almost teared up again, though his mind squeezed in every last ounce of strength possible to muster up in an intense effort to not pain her once more. Now considering it, both of them. One because he was sitting right next to her, and make that twice he decided to get tearful within a few minutes, it probably was, and he was for sure qualified for anything could be thrown at him, the other because she’d... she’d hate to see him cry. She wouldn’t witness it first-hand, obviously, but... she’d know, despite that. She’d known his past few times sobbing and shaking within the new stranger’s grasp, and she was sure to know if he decided to cry once more.

Just thinking of her was enough to set him so very close over the edge that any sort of movement from him would force it all out at once. And now, with someone else to worry about—for the better or the worse—he might never get to see her again. Maybe she'd be understanding of his situation, and let him go if need be... just maybe...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally planned for this and the next chapter to be combined into one, but dang this one is already long enough and I don't want a single 12k+ (probably idk) one.


	4. Accessed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A (decently) young, unremarkable boy had been living his life as he always had until being brought to a curious environment of sheer despair, where he gets to experience the adventure of a lifetime.
> 
> Also his mind can't make up it's mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long(er) chapter alert! (Should we be careful?)
> 
> I know it's been some time since the last update, but the length isn't responsible for the cause. It's really that I was getting caught up in writing other things and whoop-de-doo I forgot I had a whole outline for this chapter. Not quite one that goes over every little detail for every little event, but still one that at least exists.
> 
> Okay I actually just didn't feel like starting this for some time. Whoop.

Despite how many times his mind begged to take a slight glimpse at the surrounding halls, take in a mental whiff of just where he’d somehow managed to get himself into from whatever he’d been doing not even a week ago, only once did he manage to unwillingly succeed in the plan laid out for him. Still, the constant reminder of doing something wrong remained, and the enormous bulk of shame and uncertainty spread out across his head solely took the regular role of making his life miserable, just as always. Had the emotion been removed, or even merely lessened by the slightest degree, he likely would have considered how much he longed to return to the life before ever meeting her, when he could simply wander around to his heart’s content, cliffs and endless pits laying at several turns with no charge in allowing their services. As soon as he was back out of space, back down wherever he’d been his whole life, he was sure to find some way of escaping should the opportunity ever arise.

Through all he succumbed to at the moment, he still somehow managed to, at the very least, perceive his general surroundings, and remain wary of them, though anything else beyond that—intents, purposes, and general usefulness—was just as mysterious as the one that continued to guide him along through the decently sized corridor, along with every aspect surrounding her. If it wasn’t enough that his entire mental capacity had been beyond shattered from their mere entrance past a single one of the odd creatures serving as what he presumed was some sort of gatekeeper, several more roamed past the two of them, not making any sort of move to interfere with their mere presence at all aside from footsteps. The little he could focus on revealed their blue... things that they used to walk around, maybe a tiny sliver of their face that bore quite a few similarities to his commander. Though he had only received a single glance upward at their general vicinity, he had been able to notice the two eyes upon their faces, but not much else. For the exact same reasoning as he’d seen with her, they were the only visible feature on their front, though that was about all he could draw parallels to between the two.

At the very least, she still decided to hold his hand as she continued her lead toward their destination. As to where they were going, though, he hadn’t a clue. Not the faintest idea of anything lying within whatever structure the two roamed—possibly serving as the corporation she had spoken of earlier—managed to somehow surface within his consciousness, despite how much his sub-region attempted to conjure up some imaginary spells it had fabricated over the years. If anything, he hoped it was something where he’d receive some sort of task, all alone so he wouldn’t be disturbed by someone else’s presence, and with clear instruction, very little, if any room for error, so he’d be able to prove that he wouldn’t be worthy of punishment for at least another few hours. The chances of that happening were precisely absent, he knew from several past experiences regarding his hopes, though he could still attempt to reassure himself through what little his mind gave up for his personal use.

He didn’t even bother with mental pleas about extending their times of dawdling in the halls—at least, intentionally—as he’d seen enough in the slight time he’d spent within her household to know its only worth was depriving him of quickly diminishing energy. Sure, that “snack” she had given him before he got the bath was enough to fill him, but only for a short while after he woke up. By the time they entered the space station, he was back to regularity, with a pained stomach and trembly hands, just as he’d recalled so well.

Unfortunately, the time had to arrive sooner or later, as he’d finally noticed upon hearing the familiar sound of an automatic door making entryway for them. Out from the three-way fork of the hallway, she slowly led the way inside and paused for his following. Not once did he change his posture from his highly slumped state, as she’d tolerated it for so long, and he really didn’t want to be punished then, of all times. Though his eyes held few valuable droplets that he could have used elsewhere, he quite easily managed to notice the sudden gush of tone in the floor from something somewhat nearing the upper half of her attire, to an awfully closer matchup to his own shade of blue, except quite a bit deeper in shade. So lost in thought, the lower half of his clothing merged as one with the floor, though his mind didn’t decide to let any power in his vision for the time being to at least let him notice it.

She continued her lead a good distance into the room, then slightly off to the side until he could see the wall. Finally, she let her warmth off of him, only to immediately clasp it back over his hand with a barely noticeable squeeze, even to himself. So incredibly confused by her behavior, his automated subconscious decided that it simply wasn’t to perceive her physical contact at all.

“I’m very sorry, but I must be going now,” she whispered.

Her free hand made its way back to the top of his head, rubbing with fingertips softer than comprehensible. For the brief moment that it lasted, he at least attempted to set up his memory banks to allow welcoming the experience, though it all left before he could even consider anything regarding the sensation beyond that it felt pleasing.

As soon as he’d finally placed his mind to rest once more, she set both her hands around his back and pulled him in softly. His mind was virtually dead from exactly what he’d experienced upon their arrival, including the general locale in itself, so it remained utterly useless in carrying out his original intention with her any acts of physical contact. Still, though, he managed to at least notice her warmth and derive a sliver of mental pleasure out of it.

With enough comfort provided to him in his defenseless position, he managed to take a slight glance up, just barely enough to see past her body. If she hadn’t possessed such a slender build—disregarding her head, of course—it would’ve been impossible to notice the few others in the room, continuing their own staring sessions with his unnatural condition. Though able to see not even half a single eye on any of them, he was still brought enough discomfort to immediately drop his vision back to its preferred stature.

“Please wait here. I will return as soon as I can.”

A soft squeeze, a pat on the head, and several seconds later, she finally released him. Yet again, his mind pleaded out with the same response her affection always brought, and despite how much mental capacity it drained from him, there was utterly nothing he could do about the such longings that there left something he could do to earn just a second more within her hold. That, of course, was an unlikely exception to his mind’s odd monarchy’s strict policies, which varied wildly depending on which region and tone of worry was leading at the moment.

Only after hearing the door’s motion a second time did he recognize the situation she had led him into, and then brought another pile of anxiety upon him that somehow managed to break the near-toppling pile of what was already there, annexing its all commands and simply adding it all to a single, cumulative power that destroyed him even more. It wasn’t exactly that he wished for her to remain in the room merely for her presence, though a small part of him wished that was so. Sooner or later, the dreaded moment would have arrived where she left him without any sort of guidance or, at the very least, a hint of what to do, and it finally appeared that all leniency allowed to him was at its conclusion. At the very least, he would have wished for her to give him some sort of task before departing, but it turned out that he was requesting far too much.

As he took a few barely audible breaths in an attempt to calm himself down at least somewhat, the others in the room continued on with their regular conversing, appearing to not have cared a whole lot about his unexpected entry. Completely beyond his boundaries of limited perception lay the fact that they spoke in such similarity to the several kids he’d seen in his own travels. Sure, of an entirely foreign species, though the parallels were quite prevalent, not solely in their voices, either. He was much too occupied at the moment to even consider anything aside from his own frail energy, so what little his subconscious could gather for later was soon isolated until it’d be eliminated for other useless information regarding his location and its inhabitants.

A while passed as he attempted to calm himself down in case she suddenly burst in and shoved him down for making too much noise. The door could be opened in an instant, after all, and he really didn’t want to be disappointing her for fear of whatever she could have been capable of, especially upon catching just a short glimpse of her working environment. At the entrance alone, it was quite clear that wherever he’d found himself was certainly no slacker in the technology department, taking a huge leap beyond anything he could have ever dreamed of back down where he came from. With nothing more than a press of a button, she could compress her driven contraption quite an amount, steer it through the cosmos, or even send it hopping forward with ease. The most he’d ever known was that a set of rocks in a precise formation could be cast upon to animate them, but even then, only for a moment.

At last, upon finally bringing his breathing down to something barely audible to himself, his sensory functions forced a restart upon themselves so he wouldn’t completely shut down his focus in remaining conscious. A good few seconds later, he could feel the odd stinging all throughout his body—nothing major, but enough to remain noticeable despite all the prevalent physicality residing within his stomach’s anger. Several times, he’d experienced the whole procedure, which pained while it lasted, but not much, so it couldn’t be too difficult to bring himself through it just once more.

Up came another light headache, and he finally regained full focus and control over his body. Of course, that wasn’t such a good thing in his situation, considering it was possible to recognize the exact situation that had enveloped him for whatever reason, along with everything brought with it. Not solely from his predicament, actually, as he managed to spot two pairs of those... “walkers” each of the locale’s residents used to stand and step around. Merely considering their presence left him an even more so dwindling brainpower left to do anything but dream up every possible outcome that could arrive from just a single one of their actions. A word being brought his way, their approach toward his feeble body, maybe just a possible beating if he moved even a smidge. After all, he was the only one in the entire setting that wasn’t of their kind, save for her, of course, though her presence was certainly justified. What wouldn’t convince them that he wasn’t welcome?

Upon recovering at least somewhat from a shattered frame of mind, at last, the power of decent vision finally arrived to his convenience, as his body liked to put it, though he knew it was more a detriment than anything at the moment. He immediately set down his hands, which had been instinctively raised to about chest level as he’d been recovering—again, out of fear for wrongdoings. Okay, maybe take some time to do something, whatever may have been asked from her. A hope reached out to the high authorities of his soon fate, sending a great request that she actually had given him any instruction at all, and he’d simply glossed over it while he zoned out for a moment. He already knew what the response would be, though maybe, just once, he’d actually receive another spurt of luck, if any remained after all from the past few days.

“Hey!”

His body froze before even allowing the option of involuntary movement. Not simply what remained visible to everyone else, but also his innards, for what must’ve been the thousandth time he could recall in his entire life. If they were ever to return to decency once again, they’d require a full shut down, or at the very least, a good hour or two as his mind held a discussion about the ins and outs of responding to someone.

The first of the others in the room stepped toward him, though once again, his eyes had left his body in favor of having their abstract presence linger any elsewhere, so long as they didn’t have to deal with whatever suffering he did. Of all the strength, energy, and willpower to accomplish beside the dreadful and generally terrifying experience lying literal footsteps away, possible to be mustered up by him at the moment, his only accomplishment was laying his freezing hand over his chest, both colder than they ever knew possible. They... they wouldn’t want to... would they?

Maybe a second or two passed until the first of the two stood just before him, one taking a slight lead against the other with some indistinguishable expression in their eyes. The other instead held a plain one, just as he’d seen with his newly-turned presumed caretaker so often. Both stood in similar fashion, though the rear one appeared with less overall... expression—he couldn’t quite grasp the word, especially with such a low functioning at the moment—than what he would’ve assumed was their acquaintance.

“Didn’t expect to be seeing a new face in here,” the first one began, though all he could understand was the slight energy present in their voice. “How you doing?”

The other one tapped the ground with both their walking appendages, then looked up past his frozen expression—much thankfully hidden from view, or, at least, he hoped—and toward the only other one in the room that they actually cared at least somewhat decently for. “Uh, don’t you think think we should at least—”

“Oh, right!” He instinctively flinched at the sudden expression as another frigid horror shook his entire body once more. “Sorry about that, I guess I should introduce myself.”

A short silence followed as a similar tapping arrived from the far end of the room in respect to the newly formed group of sorts, though it was ultimately ignored by all three, despite how prevalent it remained in otherwise complete silence. After a while of its continuous reverbations through the room, the frontal figure took a quick glance back at its source, then turned back to their stiff audience.

“Yeah, don’t worry about that. Always been that way ever since first coming to be.”

Their accomplice noted the sudden quietude to follow, though instead decided to stare directly into his eyes instead of any other possible effect that could have made on his situation. A few words were hushly spoken from the quieter one to the only other respectable individual engulfed in the room’s confines—loud enough for him to hear, sure, but not quite direct enough to make it through his several barricades of sheer terror the two had brought to him.

“I don’t really get why that happens, either, so you take your best guess. It’s as good as mine, at least.”

“Well...” The back figure took a slight step forward, though both others were far too bothered to even flinch or otherwise acknowledge the motion. “Isn’t it because its a defect, or something?”

“Oh, yeah.”

His subconscious took lead for a moment, which, in his regularity’s perspective, was a terrible move to be made, not solely for awful ruling, either. He unintentionally made a glance upward, past a small gap between their two faces, to see what appeared to be a third of their same kind, sitting idly, head toward the floor, tapping the ground in a perfectly precise tempo. Their entire body was faced toward the corner, so about all that could be noticed of them was the rounded bulge atop their head, extending a short distance from a curve relative to its base’s position—at least, in regards to differences between them and any other similar creatures he’d caught a slight glimpse at. None was noted, of course, and his power soon shifted back to its original state, returning all fear that raged on within to utterly demolish his consciousness’ entirety.

“Called... ‘IDM-01’, I think it was? I dunno, it simply isn’t good enough to warrant having a name beyond its factory-issued serial, or whatever its called.”

The quieter of the two followed in suit as his accomplice did mere moments ago, at the very least not returning with a stare directed toward him specifically. “It was given the tag ‘XM-L86’, actually, and the only reason it hasn’t been administered one like ours is because it hasn’t been provided with the updated model—”

“I don’t think he needs to hear about all the specifications of it. It’s not even been given sentience, do you really think it matters whether our buddy here is clued in on everything the production line has to offer?”

A glare was provided, and the other one immediately sighed and shook their head. They returned to his focus with something along the lines of a shrug, though their mere glance into his own eyes was enough to turn him back to the safety of the pure ground. Again, it was always nice to succumb to its soothing silence when necessary, though the other two had already proven that they were nowhere near respectable of his boundaries.

“Eh, don’t worry about him,” the lead of the two remarked, sticking a thumb toward their temporary victim. “Always dragging on and on about the most basic of stuff, isn’t that right?”

Another sigh emerged, despite neither even having a mouth to be doing so with. Or, at least, one that remained visible to him.

“You’re always the more boastful one, don’t you think it’d make a better impression if you didn’t decide to delve into explaining your workforce goals for the future?”

“Thanks for mentioning it, but no, I wasn’t originally planning on bringing that up.”

“‘ _Originally_ ’.”

The two continued their argument without him, at least, providing a well-needed break for his corrupted capacity, not solely derived from the sheer ebon feeling and vile powder sprinkled throughout in absence of decent balance between the regularly warring consciousness, its lower sub-counterpart, and all his endless leagues of generally tranquil hopelessness. Had he been forced into their conflict, he no doubt would have immediately collapsed from sheer terror at interaction between two strangers simultaneously. Even with just one other around was bad enough, but if he designated enough hope to plead for the best possible outcome, it might have been possible to escape with merely a frozen mind and will to continue wandering around on the planet’s surface.

Somewhere in his voided state, already lost beyond several factors—namely vitality, if constricted to the most prominent—a quick tap was given over his chest, sending a shock down his entire body that brought him back to the situation. His eyes immediately caught the gaze of their own stares, though still decided on remaining in their fixed position.

Contact resumed between the two parties momentarily, only with a much greater force than just prior. He was already so close to the wall, luckily, else he would’ve tumbled over from a half-controllable procedure underway inside the confines of his head. It only hurt a little, but hopefully no one would mind.

“You there?” the lead asked with a touch of annoyance.

“Just like that when he came in, wasn’t he?” the other added after a moment, instead using a more genuine tone of inquiry.

He subconsciously attempted to get a word out, though, as he’d known and experienced beforehand, the absolute best he remained capable of was a soft, quavering breath. Nothing except, either, though he couldn’t exactly comprehend anything else possible to muster up at the moment.

The arrogant of the two stepped back, at last, even if only barely. Any space between himself and the other two was much appreciated, even if he couldn’t tell it was worth something in the first place. The other simply provided a brief glance in his direction before resuming his regular torture against his fractured sense of perception, control, and everything else pertaining to his mentality in general.

“C’mon, he doesn’t look all too comfortable here.” He turned to what appeared to be the more rational of the two, though he had no idea of anything pertaining to them at the moment aside from their mere presence and general tone of their voices. “Don’t you think we ought to let some stress off of him?”

A subtle turn was made from the closer one, not enough to entirely obscure vision of his face, though quite so to adequately perceive the intended target. “He’s still waiting on our names.”

“Ooh, right.” The distance between the two was suddenly closed entirely, leaving him to internally shudder once more. He couldn’t possibly imagine what they had in store for him if they happened to notice him physically express discomfort. “The name’s Driller, nice to meet you. Hope we can get some good time in before you got to go?”

Uh... what ‘time’ exactly? And go where?

“Well, yeah, kinda neat, I’m sure you get the idea.” The two were left staring at each other for a moment until he finally realized what he was doing and took to the hospitality of emptiness without worry of spotting a hint of their eyes. “And I guess you’d also want to know what his name is, too.”

A thumb was stuck back out in a similar fashion as prior, though neither of the other two bothered in reacting to any degree. So far, his luck had completely annihilated any thoughts of what he’d deemed possible, so he had no idea what to expect with each proceeding moment. Of course, it would have only been fair had the adequate price been taken off of him without proper consent—all anxiety of what could arrive in a moment’s notice, as there didn’t appear any immediate threat—so anything else to be plunged upon him would be of the heavier aspect.

“It’s actually a long story how he and I wound up with these things and such. Well, not long actually, but still.”

The anonymous speaker turned to his accomplice at his last remark, gave a hard, long-winded sigh, then immediately walked off to where the last of the creatures in the room sat, according to what he could recall. In his very lacking vision, he could notice Driller follow his glance toward the same general vicinity, at the very least diminishing the effect of his already draining energy supply.

“Where you going? I got a story to tell!”

There remained no response, but he was quite alright with that, regardless of how much mental capacity was settled by hope he could simply disappear from their visions, the room, and the entire facility he found himself in entirely. And the entire world, too, but that was more so a concern for when he finally received just a chance to. As soon as they were back “home”, he was already sure of what to do... if, even making it there. After all, there was no guarantee she would be coming back for him at all, and the two that had decided to converse with him may have just been his new captors for some time. But... as long as he wouldn’t be of any bother to anyone...

A sound almost identical to her remote came from where the idle of the foreigners sat, immediately ceasing his own subtle chest contractions once more. Following was a complete silence aside from his own breathing, and maybe something he couldn’t quite understand from Driller—not speaking, of course, or anything he’d ever heard before. A gentle hum, it sounded like, though he didn’t appear to be doing anything.

Within a few moments, he was finally let be without any others continuing to force his struggle to remain conscious beyond any words sent his way. Without anyone to even stand near him, he could finally set aside some time to attempt restoring that slight bit of sanity that may or may not have been present, just outside his reach, but it was worth a try.

Driller and the others once again began their heated debate, though he wasn’t necessarily focused on anything besides what he’d just come to realize. Now, without the other two standing directly in front of his face to occupy the time, he truly was left with absolutely nothing to do, and that was more than a simple worry to care about at the moment. Someone could just pop in, notice relatives of their own kind—or not, he hadn’t seen every single person in the location’s entirety—biting away at the time with their own temporary occupation, then take a glance over in his own direction and immediately spot the difference.

Okay, okay, maybe he could find something to do... or not? Sure, there was probably something that could use his presence—not necessarily for the better, but something—though, of course, he hadn’t been directed to use anything, so that was a harsh no-go. Or he could simply demonstrate some of his own skills? Those other two, maybe three, if that defect was taking part, looked awfully skillful in making a situation, but what could he do? Magic? Maybe... but as to what form, though... He barely even knew the basics, and he could hardly get a spark of the air if he put in an exceeding effort into the process. But, it was something...

Upon blinking his eyes back to their rightful place, he quickly recognized just how much it would take to even get something off his hands—not just bodily strength, either. With all that had happened since he entered the room, and to a more accurate extent, the entire locale, he could hardly get a motion out of himself aside from what his subconscious deemed absolutely necessary to survival. That meant leaving behind all forms of speech—though that was a given, anyway—most senses, as well as any and all motion that wasn’t required to avoid threat of punishment. So far, that’d only been lagging behind her, and he didn’t expect to be seeing anything else out of himself any time soon. Just thinking about her left a small portion of himself to wish she simply came back and took him away, regardless if forcefully, with disdain, or lacking any sense of the calm character she had demonstrated previously. If she was to simply appear in the doorway, he’d likely be in tears from how much he missed her instruction.

As with previously, the other two were already approaching upon him finally returning to the physical world. Much quicker than last time, as well, and with such a sudden closing from them, he instinctively flinched. Almost with enough of a jolt in his stiffened halting that his hands nearly trembled from such energy directed toward them so quickly.

With so much shock to follow, he couldn’t force his hands away from their position just a smidge from his face. Above anything else, he simply wished the other two would simply decide to smack them down for him and continue with the verbal torment sent his way, though that was sure to be a best-case scenario. After all fortune to have arrived in his favor since entry, there was no chance that was to happen. At very best, actually, disregarding his retribution soon to follow, he’d simply be able to zone out of the looming threat, but that was severely unlikely to occur.

Another blink was enough to reset his vision’s well-being, enough to see at least several things that had twisted their way out of his favor since losing focus for the hundredth time, though it was all justified, of course. At the very bottom of importance, likely, of all events to soon annihilate his poor soul, was his two hands, still in their exact position from last he recalled. It wasn’t how they were stationed that was of issue, far from it, actually. The problem resided in the subtle glow that was emitted from them, as well as the slight heat to soothe just the slightest bit of his palms. Quite nearing the same stage of comfort as the ground upon his waking out in the wild, which was very little, but he took the warmth while it lasted. Of course, it wasn’t expected to last any longer than maybe a few seconds before his extremely amateurish and highly unexpected spell fizzled away, but it was definitely a better condition than at least three quarters of his explorations.

If that wasn’t to be of direct issue to himself, though, then of course there was going to be something else to compensate. Lucky for him, the threat wasn’t to remain a mystery any longer—at least, he hoped—as the next of problems lay just ahead of him, residing within the others’ immediate expression. With whatever composition their body used to remain aloft in survival, both pairs of eyes, and to a greater extent, the entire tone of their face, had garnered a red filter over itself, coloring both their blank expressions with what likely was their immediate intent. Both stood idly, maybe a couple paces in front of him, such lack of expression in their postures and overall appearances that they very well rivaled, if not even succeeded in beating out his younger self’s accomplishment in retaining the life force of one of the most inexpressive souls to ever exist. From then on, he had learned some of the meaning behind emotion, most notably of guilt and regret, though a part of him still liked to believe he still held a tiny portion of that merit.

The beginning stage of their next plan remained as nothing more than an illusion for his mind to register in its records of soullessly perceived attractions that the universe had to offer, which remained so overcramped that several stations throughout his body had gone beyond begging to simply empty out the unneeded storage and make room for another set of valuable memory, or at least repetition for some new experiences. Once, came to twice, then thrice, and any processes that even bothered to count gave up on recording how many hushed breaths he let out. In the past several days, he’d faced a freezing dungeon, the most terrifying of beasts he was sure to ever encounter in his entire life, and the indescribable physical torture brought upon him in his expereince down below, and yet none of his worry or fear left behind from it all could even make an effort to compete with his expression as he blankly watched and let go all the images of the room speeding by him, the complete lack of expression on the defect’s face as it watched him involuntarily be washed away, and the door sliding shut from behind as the entire world spun around him—literally and figurateively.

Even after several moments of remaining nigh motionless upon the cold floor, revealing no signs of life aside from a silent panting, he still couldn’t muster even an involuntary contraction anywhere upon his body. The closest he managed were a few tears, though even his second-in-command, last resort mental ruler had already given up in taking any physical action for the time being. The welling load of fear had nearly taken control over his entire body, but it didn’t even matter whether it was finished or not for the time being. Had he known a boulder was about to fall over and obliterate what he found impossible to consider a justified existence such as his own, he wouldn’t have flinched.

At last, upon several moments of his orders of commanders and utter futilities attempting to jumpstart his functioning, the task was finally succeeded in, regardless if as a result of their efforts or not. Without any other task to let done for the poor soul they had managed to find themselves in control of, his eyesight just barely managed to resurface against the tears and terror that had overtook him since he involuntarily took yet another nonmaterial break. The situation he had found himself trapped in not even a few minutes ago had already lost its place in his memories, though it wasn’t like its disappearance made way for any other necessary storage.

Directly in front of his face lay the cold, hard floor that had once again struck his feeble boundaries internally set in place. His hands were frozen, and his chest followed in suit for lack of attention being brought to it—even his head was unable to budge aside from a constant shivering and anything else necessary to continue his survival in the horrid locale that had trapped not simply his physical being, as that would have presented quite too much sense for someone such as himself. The entire world around him tortured his spirit, fed on all the pain to emerge from its doings, and embraced all the warmth received from making sure that he, and only he, would be the sole occupant to not escape in any fashion from its terrible wrath. Somewhere, deep down in whatever advancements the spacial facility had undergone far beyond his imagination, Susie and everyone else mocked his stupidity for winding up within her grasp in the first place—regardless of how much she made it seem like she was simply a kind-hearted spirit in an entire world of the abstract conquerors and champions that made sure he lived the lowest of possible lives, simply to make sure he never was to be of any bother to a single soul other than himself.

A minute, maybe even two passed before he finally worked up the courage to defy his fright’s orders, send all his available forces to overtake his unrightfully placed mind, and succeed in reclaiming his body, once and for all. The end result only arrived with much reluctance and energy spent from all troops involved, but he was far too busy to make any sense of their demands for even a moment. Surrounding him was another unfamiliar world, except not of trees, grass, ponds, and all of nature—no, of course not for someone like him to receive in tranquility. It was a whole universe of cold-blooded craftsmanship, a terrifying race of foreign creatures to inhabit it, and a cold aura of hopelessness and despair to top it all off. He could barely stand, let alone pick himself up from how distantly his mind operated at the moment.

Upon an extremely brief glance at the walls he stood behind however long ago, he finally noticed the general field of what had occurred since willingly throwing out his consciousness before it succumbed to the oozes of fear that may have forever plagued it otherwise. Or, really, it was more so his subconscious that took the bulk of the effort, as it could take quite a beating when his feeble stature was in need of protection.

If his body had felt like cooperating with him—just once, when he felt like his entire body could shatter into tiny pieces and be reassembled into something more worthwhile at any moment—it would have decided to force his vision away from the corridors, away from all the dangers they may have shocked what little his internal overlord could have mustered up. That simply wasn’t the case, of course, as why would it have ever been? For an outcast such as himself, what mental pain, hopelessness of ever returning to the barely tolerable life he had lived before first contact with her, or raids against his mind would ever go ignored, let alone unnoticed? But... he deserved every lasting second of it, no matter how distinctly painful they may have been to undergo, as... what was he worth in the first place?

Before even distantly realizing what he’d been doing, his back tapped against the door he’d been tossed out of by Driller and his accomplice with incredible ease. Lightly, even, but still almost enough to knock him back to the ground from how he struggled to even remain upright over the immense bulk of everything the locale provided at his expense. Those two... he’d been such a fool in listening to them. They made it intensely clear they weren’t his allies, pushed him, tortured what little tolerance of the place’s entirety that remained... and yet he still made no effort in even communicating with them—even if down to simply walking off. And now, out in the halls, if someone found him? A newcomer, no experience in even looking at someone in the eye for a second, wandering out somewhere where he certainly wasn’t left to be just prior? What wouldn’t entitle him to a repetition of... the “special treatment”, for a kid such as himself? Really, what?

He quickly spun around to face the hall he presumed the two had come in from, in all its emptiness and indirect shivers directly transmitted onto his face. The door was forced shut, and without a single other person in sight, he could almost feel himself sweating, for once in a long, long time. Certainly not as a result from an uncomfortable warmth, either. Everywhere he looked—in reality, simply the one hall perpendicular to the door he stood against—lay another set of unavoidable panic from a hall, completely devoided from any inhabitants. It wasn’t easy to notice past his unusually shocked consciousness, and to an extent, subconscious to follow, but even the slightest glimpse of the situation every few moments was enough to force him away from any ideas or conventions in the slightest.

Two sets of footsteps arrived at their usual pace from down one of the paths—exactly the same as the ones he’d heard while walking down the hall—but his opposing realms of consciousness didn’t care the slightest for anything aside from hiding alongside one another, despite how often they rivaled and even sabotaged each other in a multitude of manners. In the midst of their heated situation, they finally decided to cooperate, for once, by leaving each other be and letting the responsibilities in their host’s control for a moment. What he’d do was completely beyond them both, judging by his previous behavior, though it would have certainly been better than what a single of the two could come up with at the moment.

His ears couldn’t prevent their own twitching for even a split second, but, despite the fact that the situation had only made its play maybe twice in his entire life, concentration over the matter was impossible. Down neither of the continuing hallways could he notice a single other creature approaching, though it wasn’t easy through the predicament in the first place. Both his consciousness and its rival practically begged him to simply take a chance, take the fifty-fifty opportunity that he’d make it out for just a slight second longer, though they’d made the wrong decision in letting him in charge for their wishes. The fork in the pathway didn’t simply contain two halls and leave it there, so of course, his mind took immediate notice of the opportunity.

It didn’t take long until he found himself on the ground at the dead end he failed to notice earlier, a mild throbbing over his head to accompany his other mistake leading to his falling over in the first place. Immediately, he picked himself back up and attempted to brute force his way into not moving his vision from the plain wall. Of course, with his mind’s controllers finally taking notice that they had the upper hand in the end, total lack of control occurred as they attempted to figure out who to let in charge. With so much commotion rummaging around from above, his head twitched and lurched around against the wall, banging it quite softly and with slightly padded breaks in between, simply in hopes he could let go of all the indistinguishable voices in his head for just a moment. Tears already started to well up, but by that point, it wasn’t like anything cared for him at the moment—not even his own mentality. It continued to struggle for control of his body until finally, after several more rounds of physical and mental pain, he succumbed to their control and forced his head around to face the one exit he didn’t have to escape his futile hiding spot.

Down the hall, from just around the far corner where he couldn’t see, came two more of Driller’s kind, except, less in line with his own height as seen with a previously abandoned pair. They simply stared and walked in a straight line, a complete lack of expression on their face as they continued down in a perfectly precise unison. As for whether or not they’d notice him, somewhat bundled up in the corner as he stared beyond their terrifying presences, he didn’t even need to consider to understand the answer. For a single moment, it appeared as if they suddenly gave up their previous interest and locked eye contact with him, just upon reaching the fork in the pathway, though he couldn’t be remotely close to certain. Regardless, his time was up, whether it be from them directly, an unnoticed appearance from one of the other rooms, even simply the universe’s toying with him. What good was it to even bother trying anymore, anyway...

Within a few moments, both the creatures were fast approaching him, the exact same red glint in their faces as he’d seen in the previous two. Their footsteps signified his last moment in relative physical tranquility, though it didn’t even matter whether he was left alone to rot or back on something like her bed, anyway. He’d have been punished somehow, and for the time being, it seemed like it’d be a repetition of Driller’s style. As with before, he was quickly thrusted up by them both, though being let limp upon reaching his standing level, contrary to the previous weight-lifting he’d been used for. If there happened to be a single saving grace through all the inflicted torture over himself for yet another long while, it was that he couldn’t perceive the physicality of being dragged back along the floor and the tugging over his hands, though the expense of constant worries and tears quite reimbursed his necessary debt.

His body unknowingly stumbled around in an attempt to keep up, simply in hopes of not letting something even worse destroy the already deforming situation, but without true control in hand, he could barely stand for a moment. The two bringing him along didn’t seem to mind, though they made up for it with their intense pace, lurching his body around every corner enough to offset his stomach just that extra deal, so by the time he may or may not have been set down, he’d be too dizzy or simply too sick to even move. Maybe even breathe, but he hadn’t the slightest clue as to what illnesses were to possibly follow his journey.

After several minutes of drifting by as nothing more than a weight for the other two to drag along, he was finally stopped, but it wasn’t like he was going to receive anything better than previously. His mind was completely frozen over again—it was worthless even attempting to do something, including thawing out his own internal conflict for just a moment. Really, all he held at the moment beyond a body, if even possible to consider it his own for the time being, was an extremely diminished sense of perception, barely enough to notice himself lifted into the air once more, though nowhere near to let it register for the rest of his body.

Out the corner of his paralyzed eyesight, he could make out one of his captors strolling along through a doorway into a complete unknown, at least, according to his view for the time being. A few steps later, they disappeared completely, leaving only himself and one of the other creatures left behind in a rather bland room, all its emptiness striving and utterly failing in attempting to provide him its regular comfort.

A few voices emerged from the room next door—maybe two, but he couldn’t be too sure in the state he remained in at the moment—both fairly in line with Driller’s, only, a good deal deeper. All except the one that held him for the time being continued their chattering away, relative silence otherwise, while his mind decided to shut itself down again until absolutely necessary for action to be taken.

Soon enough, he was plopped back down onto the ground as something wrapped around his free hand, and they were off, once more. At least while letting him stare forward, but it didn’t even make a difference for how devoid of anything his mentality remained at the moment. Life, maybe, was the only thing to stick with him, though even then, it was practically begging to be let free from its confines already.

Down some more halls, beyond the most carefree of creatures he could have ever met, and some tossings around corners, his mind unwillingly let loose its hold of the shutdown, finally allowing his rest to come to a halt. Within moments, his eyes met the gaze of another long hall, except without a single door in his limited sight. No corners or turns to round, not even a passerby to completely ignore the three, just... complete emptiness. No matter how acquainted he had become with the force of inaudibility, nothing would have changed his outlook on his situation from total shock over his entirety. Had he attained even the slightest bit of consciousness through the deserted wasteland that roamed his innards, he’d have been able to feel the cold wave as any vigor remaining within him died out, gave up hope, or left altogether.

Another few minutes strolled along until his eyes finally let themselves function again, instead finding themselves looming over a silky, red surface, stretching out as far as he could see in either direction—which wasn’t much, but even despite their continuous motion, it extended. Covering almost the entire width of the narrow corridor, there remained only a smidge on either side of it where one could notice the metallic surface beneath. He tried as hard as possible to simply not consider their destination, not the dreaded horror he was about to face upon being set down once again, even going so far as to subconsciously stiffen his hands in an attempt to be set free of the impending doom approaching. It was obvious to all that his most favorable plan of action was to simply give up on hoping and let the concepts consume him in mental entirety, though he was completely out of control for the time being, and even had he not been, his course of action wouldn’t have been altered.

At last, the dreaded moment had arrived where he could feel the slight inertia from being set to a halt, and of course, his body decided then was the absolute precise moment to set his emotion back in place. All at once, he could feel the cold returning as a button close in sound to the one remote he’d ever heard arrived. From just ahead emerged a voice—simply a small sample of the tech that composed the surrounding area. Had his mind been at least half-decently contented with anything happening at the moment, down to the mere silence from moments before, he’d have immediately been able to pinpoint exactly where he’d heard that tone of speech before, though it wouldn’t have helped, regardless.

Out sounded another beep, then the lead detainer took a single step back to match the precise lateral position of the other two. There were no more delays, blockages, anything to prolong his times in physical harmony with the other two anymore—up ahead, he knew, would be his last sign of life before being set to whatever vile operation stationed to be let loose over his body, whether he be conscious for it or not. If anything, he’d hope for the latter, or even just to be set to an eternal rest, at last, but it was his longing, after all, so the general spectrum of the outcome was obvious.

At last, the dreaded sound resonated in his ears, terrifying him down to absolute nothingness once again. It didn’t matter how many times he’d heard the exact same noise within the past few days, even how subtle it was compared to the surrounding footsteps, or quite recognizable soft gasp from immediately ahead. All that could be done for the depleted life he could barely call his own was to simply prepare for the next of several waves of frost and terror to decimate his innards.

In through the large doorway, past the odd barrier condensing the warmth from the new room within itself, their sudden stop was enough to set his eyes back to a working, albeit trashed state. Immediately, his eyes jumped focus between the sole shade of color plastered all over the ground and the hands of his captors, until finally taking a brief skirmish over the dispute. In the meantime, he’d be left completely oblivious to the surrounding situation, his subconscious realized, so that was something.

The figure not ten or so paces ahead continued with a shocked panting, occasionally deciding to throw in a few stammers before returning back to speechlessness for a good few seconds, then trying again. Maybe twice, the oral procedure was repeated, then some action was finally taken. He couldn’t even tell she held such shortness of breath in the first place, so it was undoubtable that he’d be missing out on the entirety of the events leading up to his soon-to-be punishment.

“Oh... oh, I...” She continued on a good few more stutters, then finally decided to seat herself behind the enormous desk and direct her attention away from him for just a moment. “Thank you for the assistance, you two. Both...”

Another moment was taken in allowing her to catch a breath, letting him finally focus for a moment beyond all the dizziness brought by the mere trace of her voice. It wasn’t that she’d changed her tone in speaking, or even that she was directing her words toward him. Really, there was only one reason he could see for why he’d been brought to her in particular, and it certainly wasn’t favorable. At least... at least it was finally time for the first of several disciplines to come, and he’d finally take what was only deserved for receiving such care brought by the bed and her walls...

“Thank you both,” she repeated, “I will be handling the situation from here. Both of you, dismissed."

He was immediately set free upon the last of her words being spoken, almost succeeding in toppling over, had his subconscious not begrudgingly stepped up for obvious reasons. From behind came two sets of footsteps in unison, both disappearing into nothingness as the door closed behind them, leaving the sole two occupants of the room in complete silence aside from his hush breathing. If there had been any time to have simply left his body and let it suffer without him, he’d have picked then, even if only given a single chance. He couldn’t even put in an effort in bearing to consider what she’d have in store for him, and really, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Once more, he could feel himself swaying limply to both sides, threatening to collapse at any moment should necessary precautions not be taken in the preceding moments. Once, came to twice, he repeated his rotational sways, then his mind simply gave up in attempting to keep him upright and let his body descend toward its rightful place. A shame he couldn’t remain in the spot, or even reach it, for that matter.

Despite how much of a preference he’d held for her simply touching him, his virtually unconscious body was ultimately unable to snap out of its state of panic even the slightest. The grates to his consciousness’ freedom were heavily dented by the gentle warmth from her hands, though it came nowhere near enough to put a scratch in the last line of defense against keeping him stationary. Try as it might, nothing was of even basic competition to its sheer strength, regardless of how many times he tried and tried to bring himself back to reality for a moment. Or, nothing internal, at least, as his mentality soon realized. Soon enough, the gates were open, and the opportunity was snatched up by all imprisoned subjects to roam free throughout their rightful place, regardless if their preference or not.

His eyes opened their second, invisible layering to the sight of her body smooshed up against his, a borderline soft force serving as the only party keeping their positions unchanged. Immediately, he could feel all the static in his eyes washing away as a soft heat edged its way in and took its place. Even over his entire body, he could feel, and soon enough, it was as if he’d merely been sent a hush spook in the midst of the night. That wasn’t to say he had completely recovered, but it was far more convenient a status than anything since entering the locale for the first time.

“I’m sorry...” she whispered directly up against his ear, the slight quavering in her voice quite evident. “I’m sorry for forcing you through all this.”

Her situation as a whole was left completely unnoticed by him for a good while, though for the time, his subconscious gladly accepted the bliss of remaining oblivious to yet another of several worries to remain of threat to itself. A few times, she patted his back softly, though he only saw it as a means of letting the cold over him for a split second before replacing the heat in its original position.

For a single moment, he noticed a soft warmth in his head, maybe never before felt in the entirety of his years of scavenging and starving through days and nights back down on his homeworld. For that moment, his subconscious stepped up to simply touch that soft glow, embrace it to its fullest extent, possibly garner a slight bit of comfort from the situation as a whole, as, with everything that had occurred since arrival, he seriously wished that he’d simply been left for punishment with her instead of complete abandonment. Simply accept her temporary fondness for him, and finally take a moment to contemplate whether she truly wished to torture him, or merely abuse him with spurts of care thrown in between.

Until the moment where it was all broken apart from his insides, even his consciousness wanted to join in on the wonder of her hug’s energy, possibly even stealing the slightest bit of power for itself, so long as she wouldn’t notice. All was proceeding smoothly, until the first tear hit, appearing to simply have done nothing more than dampen his robe and maybe cool him a bit. For a person such as himself, though, nothing was to ever be in line, and immediately, all calmness was turned to calamity in his mind as both sides broke into their hundredth civil war between one another over the culprit for upsetting her. A second tear landed atop his head as a soft sob broke free, but by then, both sides had already given up any responsibility they may have had in his body. Without a proper caretaker for his mentality at the moment, he was left with another shiver, despite her compelling warmth, and he simply couldn’t take any more of being used as little more than a battlefield for his mind all over again.

Crushed, devastated, and even fearful of what his own mind was doing to himself at the moment, he couldn’t help but release the first of several welling tears lined up for their escape. Escalations spattered throughout all his body of varying classes, degrees, and effects, sending another frigid wave through his body, a nonexistent blockage toward his eyesight, and so much more. As quickly as it had left, the coldness had overtook his entire body once again, leaving him teetering on the edge of the boundary between relative control and complete lifelessness until being able to overcome at least the slightest bit of shock left inside him.

More tears slowly descended upon his head, but he could hardly notice them through the constant broadcasts through his mind’s next foreign leader. Again, he could feel the sheer terror from all its concerns and worries, all repeating the same fact for him to listen on in time and time again, until he knew the evident moment would arrive. Where she’d have to drop any plans she had, formulate a suitable arrangement to properly serve him retribution for his wrongdoing, and force him to suffer as he just had to her. And for going so far beyond what he’d done previously—to the point where even she couldn’t take it anymore—he could only wait with unimaginable anxiety.

Another dampening took its stance on his head once more just as his next pair of soundless tears embarked on their own journey. If he was thankful for anything, even the slightest of silver linings against a crushing weight plastered over him, it was that he remained near silent through his breakdown over how much he’d done wrong so quickly. Of course, noise was merely one of several factors that were sure to bother her, so it wasn’t of any difference, regardless.

Yet again, she broke out a soft gasp as more tears rained down upon him, leaving him helpless to his own imminent distress. Once more, he merely attempted to calm himself in the slightest, but it was no use with a mindset still in an endless void at futile war between each other. Destruction continued to rain down on both sides, blasting away consistently at empty patches and blanknesses, only to all be halted at once as a squeeze shook not only the battlefield, but his whole body. Slowly, she swayed him side to side, never releasing even a fraction of her tight grip over an even more tightly compressed boy—physically and mentally. Immediately, his mind gave up its any prior senses between the conflict, and both sides quickly signed their treaty and lost it with one another, leaving him as nothing more than a motionless bulk for her to hold at the moment.

If anything, he didn’t even care to recognize her hug anymore, instead succumbing to the notion of his reasoning for being there in the first place. Of anyone possible, in an entire universe of kids and older ones alike, of different species, backgrounds, and personalities, how did he, of all individuals, wind up in his situation? Why did he, of all potential candidates, get to experience her warmth? Why, exactly, did she not decide to even become irritated with him, especially considering how annoying of a little brat he truly was?

Just... why? Absolutely anyone would have been a much more favorable pick for her specifications, like Driller, for say. He actually had people in his life, an enormous step up from his own existence, so what was the point of remaining with her? Just... why...


	5. Plated Boils

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With some more time to spare, one boy takes some time to contemplate on a buncha stuff that happened recently. Turns out he's in for some surprises.

Of absolutely anything from the entirety of the unimaginably large, otherworldly structure—considering each and every little aspect from the mere sound of the extraterrestrial being’s footsteps, to something much heavier in scale, so incredibly disorienting that he could barely recall even taking notice of the bland corridors as his entire body was flushed out by all unnatural forces brought upon it—there happened a sole memory he knew would be impossible to simply wash away, or cut out from contact entirely. And of course, there were certainly those other two, undoubtedly struggling and failing to prevent themselves from their incessant taunting at their incredible ease at tossing him out the door in a single, coordinated fling. Or, more accurately, they wouldn’t be struggling against the passion in the slightest. It wasn’t like he’d even made an effort in so much flinching against them, save for a sole exception, and it would provide no surprise should they arrive back in the hall and shove him down, left for his captor, any surrounding audience members, and his own subconscious to laugh him over at how pathetically he fared in a situation such as his own.

But of course, there was something much more prevalent on his mind at the moment. Concerning the single person that continued to stand by him for reasons he already understood so well, who provided relentless concern over her every move, immediate and imminent. Her first act of what would certainly be several had finally been sent underway, though he did have to question exactly why he’d been let off for so long. Nevertheless, he’d somehow managed to turn what was supposed to remain a breather from him, whether a return was anticipated or not, into a breakdown out of her, no doubt as a result of having to see him once more. In doing so, she’d even decided to place a grip over him, squeezing him with just barely enough force to remain slightly uncomfortable for the majority of the session, but she was probably just looking for something to relieve her frustration with.

If anything, the only reason he could see for her personally bringing him down the halls a second time was in making sure he had such a horrible experience in their journey. Again, she held his hand, but for the time being, he simply wished he could go on without her and find whatever he needed himself, then finish the deed without having to bother a single other person. Her gentle heat provided to him was nothing more an unintentional afterthought—as with the calming sound of her voice—as she still provided them both to him, regardless of what he’d just set over her at his last stop. That single sound, through all his absentmindedness and the spurts of tears over his mind’s control... that was something he couldn’t ever forget, even more so than her voice, or even her gentle warmth.

But it was no use looking back into what had happened earlier, as seen so frequently in the past, as there remained several other priorities to blank out his any consideration for a more suitable replacement. The halls, entirely empty, simply to make sure he remained in a precise mental state for the entire journey—a definite result of his terrible wrongdoings in such a short span. The indirect taunting of her slowly making her way forward, a pace he could keep up with and exceed with little issue, torturing him as they passed by every single corner with the expectation of their destination to soon arrive—something he was responsible for, of course. And the complete silence, to top it all off. Neither him nor his captor made any contact with the ground or walls, neither spoke, neither even made an audible breathing to any but themselves. If evoking unimaginable terror was their specialty, then boy, his subconscious really had to say, the locale was top notch at their intention.

But why was it so necessary to continue taking him along? For the torture soon to arrive? If he was given the luxury of simply not inconveniencing a single other with the mere sight of himself, then maybe, just maybe, he could be sent a procedure that would be entirely automated once began, and he’d never have to be seen by any ever again, unless they wished to ridicule his painful suffering. There were certainly a few he’d seen recently that would be sure to accept the offer.

And yet, out of everything, none of that was enough, was it? Frantic footsteps, each deriving their own distant clang against the ground, served as the only signification of his soon fate, though they didn’t explain much else than his abduction once more. Oh, if he was to offer any advice in how to ensure he was to never return again, he’d simply ask to be thrown out entirely, but not into just another room, no. Thrown out into the depths of space, where he’d be left to suffer alone, and upon the last of his life having finally escaped from its terrible chains, his cold body would be let free to roam without worry of annoying anyone else ever again.

At last, after several minutes of repeatedly being struck by his conscious in an attempt to wake him up from its enemy’s control, his eyes truly opened themselves to a familiar sight. Not something he’d wished for, but at very least, nothing that could be of any immediate threat for the time being. At least, he hoped, but the approaching noise certainly sounded to be a different story.

All at once, before letting him a chance to understand even a sliver of what was happening, everyone was stopped in entirety, left for silence to overtake them once more. His vision hadn’t changed in the slightest, but it wasn’t difficult to piece together a few tiny fragments of the ongoing situation from the little able to be seen. It wasn’t that noticing her hand flash by him just a moment ago meant a single thing by itself, yet somehow, he still managed to understand some of what had happened, despite not making a trace of logical sense.

“You may stand down,” she continued softly. “This situation remains of no concern to any but myself.”

Had it not been discarded already, the red layering over their faces was swiftly removed, leaving the two to recreate yet another of the same old, unsettling reminder about recent experiences. Without even a mere glance to anything else in sight—if anything existed to be seen from their location in the first place—both turned around and continued down just as so many had prior, a perfectly synced walk cycle left to serve as the only sound until it inevitably disappeared around a distant junction.

Of course, though, if it wasn’t one thing out to ruin his moment yet again, it was going to be his mentality, regardless of how much others may have longed to personally batter him until he cried. Despite how simple of a situation it had turned out to be in comparison to all he had already gone through, even prior to entering, maybe, his mind didn’t care and locked his eyes into a deep contemplation of exactly what could have happened, had she simply decided to shove him forward. After more consideration... maybe... maybe that wasn’t what he was after...

She must have noticed his blank state and quavering breaths, as within a few moments of tugging his hand along gently in hopes they could get going, she found herself staring down from ahead. Even with how distantly his eyes could function for the time being, it was impossible not to notice her standing there, her greyish clothing, her bright hair, and her two, soft hands, once again bringing the two together for another embrace.

“We will conform to our departure as soon as possible,” she assured him, the calming factor having never left her voice in the slightest. “I merely have a few matters that expect my presence, then we may exit the premises.”

Again, she repeated the short beats against his back, but all he could focus on was the surrounding environment, once again devoid of all but the two of them. Through the such little he’d seen of the bland corridors and quietude of the world of endless halls and rooms, there appeared no difference from the chills regarded upon being tossed out aside from layout. No passerbys, no decor, no sights to be seen aside from doors and junctions, not even a sound aside from her own assurances and hush breaths. Even despite how much he’d mentally embraced the exact same situation maybe a day ago, all he could focus on was the absent sound of her tears dropping down on him, both situated in their exact same positions as they had been then. When he so distantly longed for her to remove his head’s sole protection against the outside world, gently let her hand down upon his head, and sprinkle some soft breaths over him in doing so, just as she had so briefly down below.

Another soft squeeze arrived to his senses, though all it added to his ongoing mental discussion was a means to interrupt it for a moment before being utterly ignored. Really... could she not just understand already? If she was to just toss him out right then—back on the grassy world or emptiness of space, it really wouldn’t matter—he’d finally get to have experienced what it was like to be crushed under a dumbfounding total of emotions once again, and if her intentions aligned with expectation, then that would be her best course of action. If not setting him to some punishment, first, but... why wouldn’t she just let him go already, let him suffer without being such a nuisance? Just let starvation strike already, let dehydration dizzy him to permanent unconsciousness, let that general sickness torture for the entirety of his end’s duration, just... not while anyone else was forced to deal with him.

* * *

Okay... okay, then...

How, exactly, did all of that happen? Just... even making it back in one piece, let alone without even a physical bruise to show off to none. Of course, that meant disturbing his bodily structures that couldn’t stop themselves from lashing out against him until they got their fair share of proper nourishment and hydration, but... still?

And... she hadn’t set him to necessary action?

And she still took him along for the return trip?

Despite all his troubles caused and annoyances provided to her, and all others he came into one’s presence with, she still decided to take him along—and without a single moment where she decided to toy with him in one way or another, though she was most certainly considering it. The only reason he could see as to why she hadn’t so much shoved him down was because of their environment, but for the time being, both were alone, and until proven otherwise, he’d be left in total quietude. Again, not a good thing, especially considering he was left in yet another bland, empty hall, but at least it wasn’t one where he could recall those terrible “employees”, or whatever she’d called them, roaming around, prepared to give him a good beatdown should he so much breathe in front of them.

He could recall it so well, as it could have been no longer than a few hours ago when he sat idly beneath that large table, allowed to see none else than the floor as she continued to stroke his head softly. And despite how much he attempted to stop himself, he continued on and on in simply thinking about her voice as she spoke to a good-sized audience, despite having no direction toward him in the slightest. Just listening in on a single sound come from her blank face—excluding one, of course—it... it was so calming, regardless of however she was trying to come off as.

But those times were beyond over already, and really, he was surprised he’d lasted so long since then. Maybe because of what she could have done, sure, but mostly because of his likely expectation for the time being, and his course of action regarding conquering that goal—at the moment, nonexistent. Unless her mind was set on him sitting shakily at a perfect spot against the short corridor’s back wall, then something was bound to demolish him sooner rather than later. The sheer panic resided in considering exactly what, though, as she’d likely disappeared into one of the rooms while his mind blanked out from numerous factors, and next he knew, he opened up to an oddly lit gaze of a cold emptiness. A full view, instead of the few fragments he’d gathered up from their little “tour”, however long ago. Truthfully, it wasn’t all too big, hence why he’d managed to successfully escape her clutches that one moment.

Just ahead, he knew, lay the exact same doorway he darted out that formidable day. The last day he’d spent back down in that horrible dungeon, and the last day he was ever to see that blue blob, whatever his name was. A single look out into the world from a few days ago, the bright sun shining down on them, trees and grass scattered about, and that gooey creature was left bounding off within moments, never to be seen by him ever again. A whole world of pitch-black adventure left for him... the very same direction that doorway led. Unless she happened to have set precautions to make sure he didn’t attempt so... but just the mere thought...

If she had slipped up in deciding to take him along, forgetting to make sure that path was littered with danger and fright should one not have precise recollections of how to work their way through... that was a whole world out there. Back where he remembered so many years of somewhat tranquil moments. Nothing confining him to whatever she had in mind, not even to the knowledge she existed in the first place.

But she couldn’t have that, could she? She certainly enjoyed the sight of him struggling to keep his breaths steady, just as he lingered in that futile, defenseless position, huddled up so as to take up as little room as possible in her household. And back down there, where that... where he received such unbearable torture to the point of screaming? Her lucky day, as it was likely her favorite sound in the world, if it didn’t merely come off as annoying. The only reason he could see as to why she’d decided to pull him away was to get him to shut up, finally, so she could devise her own plan of escape and leave him for those other two to silence him, once and for all.

Why him, though? Why... why from that... beast, monster, whatever he could be called, why bring her along? Was it not enough just for his wish to be granted after all, to leave him even pleasuring someone with his pain? Could... could he not just go back to that?

Why not let him feel the full potential of a demon’s intense longing to let someone such as himself remain defenseless to all the pain?

Just why?

And of course, through all his intense questionings and wonders in the midst of his next train of thought, he’d completely forgotten what he’d been doing in the first place. Or, maybe, what he hadn’t been doing, which was anything else besides remaining a complete waste of space on her property. Of course she wouldn’t be tolerating that, so something had to be done.

Down she went, backing up toward one of the doorways, a gentle grip securing her control over him so he wasn’t to possibly attempt an escape or struggle against her hold. So delicately, so not to even provide physical pain to a frail body such as himself, though in a way, they unintentionally provided the same result. In the very same position he’d been at least twice up to that point, both facing each other for an embrace one wasn’t anywhere near prepared for, all possible to be considered was the first of times he’d been stuck as such. When came the sole unforgettable sound out her face, not for volume or sheer distinctness, but through the emotional pit it drove both them down.

After several moments of her pulling him along without letting him so much as a quick glance up from his fixed view, she finally seated herself on a cushiony surface and set him beside herself. His mind simply couldn’t leave it there though, with such a relatively tranquil situation for the time being, as it simply necessitated to find some method of racing his thoughts about until it remained impossible for him to calm himself into a decently tolerable position for them both.

“N-no...” he half-whimpered, the words having won the battle over control of his mouth. “I’m sorry, please!”

He would have intended to continue his speech beyond there, though the volume he’d managed to reach was something even he remained shocked at. He’d spoken so infrequently since first meeting her, and so quietly even in doing so, and somehow, despite how much he feared the mere sight of her, he’d managed something beyond what he believed he was capable of.

He instinctively shivered, though he couldn’t tell if it was out of fear or how incredibly cold he was. Pathetic attempts repeatedly brought themselves to soon fail in toning down even the slightest of annoyances set underway at the moment, down to the quavers of his decently noisy breaths, or even the mere position of his hands above his face.

“Oh, I’m so sorry...” She began on a few stutters, then soon silenced herself and craned her head to see beyond his hands. Despite how much he’d normally have been unsettled by her doing so, there was little left that could even faze him for the time being unless he was shocked back to regularity. “I meant not to frighten you.”

He could feel his body lifted up and turned in some direction, though his eyesight simply refused to cooperate for even a moment, leaving him in total blankness for his new orientation as he was set back in about the same position. A few seconds of attempting to calm himself down merely led to the reminder that she had his entire body seized at the moment, immediately forcing his mentality crawling back into its hole set in use so frequently in recent times.

“I merely wished to inform you that I have finished installation of your new bed.” Another few moments passed with him unable to even flinch, and she turned toward the back end of the furniture both rested on. “Would you like an inspection?”

Somehow, he still managed to understand that her last remark was a question in the first place, and he soon felt a slow nod escaping his mind’s grasp. It was likely that she questioned him merely for the appearance that she was truly harmless, but even then, there was nothing that could be done about it.

Another reorientation later, he was left sitting back on the cushiony surface, face toward the wall opposite the door, a hand left over his back as she stared on. For once, he could actually notice what was happening directly in front of his face—appearing to be the same furnishing previously presented in the only other room he could remember from whatever construction of hers he’d wound up in. And with only a small examination of the walls surrounding the bed, he could immediately notice they weren’t in the same room anymore. Or, at least, if they were, there had been some redesign over the area since last he recalled.

It likely wasn’t going to make a difference in the long run, though he was left facing her again before being let notice her inquiry, or even his own subconsciousness looking out for him with its response. Her distinct warmth returned over his back, though all he could even consider for the leading moments was each possibility of her next move, none sounding pleasant in the slightest.

At the edge of his eyesight, she changed expressions once again, but exactly what was being conveyed was impossible to tell—a result of his restricted view more than anything. Lost and bewildered once more, he was left shuddering and trailing off once more as another few words were spoken to accommodate for the silence he was already much thankful for. The incredible softness of the surface just beneath him meant nothing for the moment, nor did his increasing chill, despite his obvious noticing of slight shivers coming already. With both situated in the more dimly lit room, absolute silence paving the journey to sheer despair to soon follow, he didn’t even know what to think about, except maybe how much he wished to be set free, be it one way or another.

Another round of worrisome anticipation destroyed his quite brief period in waiting until finally, she decided to alter her standards of what action required be in her presence. Really, he didn’t care a whole lot what she decided to do, as whatever it was, it would have been a whole lot better than his mind practically melting itself from the inside over dreadful expectancy.

It seemed like forever that her two hands were approaching him, though her slow approach tied in alongside it was a definite impact in his perception of the ongoing process. Even then, he would have expected her to shove him off, at the very least, hold him down, refuse him the ability to breathe, even, but what he managed to perceive was so much more, even if experienced so many times under her care.

The embrace was very gentle, not too lightly so as to not let off the appearance that her hands could simply slip off at any moment, though certainly not firmly enough to provide any discomfort. It happened to be just right, even if neglecting all other aspects he had received in that perfect moment what seemed like so long ago, down in that tiny room. And to top it all off, she was exceedingly warm—at least, in comparison to his own frigid soul. A short shiver was all it took to bridge into her gentle heat, and then... that was actually a little satisfying...

“I’m sorry for all the trouble I have caused,” she began, finally breaking the next silence to overcome them.

Well knowing of the surrounding situation, for once, he was left with the fullest experience of his light compression against her body and such impactful heat. Almost, if not exceeding the capability to quiet down his intense scares, but it wasn’t like that freedom was to last long. Just maybe, though, he could ignore all that and listen to her soft voice, to the calls of her warmth’s grasp, even that other, subtle feeling that lingered somewhere in the back of his head. Nowhere near in his mind’s reach, of course, though impossible not to notice.

Again, the time had to come eventually, be it for one cause or another. In his case, it was the frigid grasp of a thousand memories of darkness and total fear of being discovered in the midst of the night, all snagging on to his mind while it remained vulnerable to weigh it down. If not ignored already, tranquil communication between the two spectrums of his body was immediately cut out with little more than a short shudder, and maybe a cold wave to coincide.

Only after a good few seconds of constant threats over himself to screech out another word so she’d just get it all over with did he finally recognize the slightly increased pressure over himself, provided by none other than the very same culprit from his last experience in a similar situation. Ever so slightly warmer than before, he could recall, as was the same at the moment, though the single portion he could focus on was nothing like he’d been left with last time. Not attempting to leave her in peace, or even if something was being prepped up in the meantime while he was left completely defenseless—though it wouldn’t have mattered, regardless.

From just over his head, a soft breath was emitted, though likely just out of continuation of her previous repetitions—it just happened that he finally decided to take notice of her action for a moment. Aside from that, and the fact that she refused to let go of him, he left himself completely vulnerable to all the ignorance of both their situations at the moment, neither sounding pleasing upon taking her perspective once again. At very least, his eyes were to remain functional, and weren’t presenting any signs of immediate shock any time soon, so at least that was something. Even if still prone to blurriness and occasional sagging from how much his stomach had begun to hurt, they still worked.

Immediately upon his next shiver being noticed through all the warmth already being provided to him, the next spurt of pressure was laid over him, more than adequately yanking him from yet another voided state. Unlike prior, however, she didn’t immediately settle over a certain strength to surround him with. Instead of whatever she’d done however long ago while he half-consciously pushed through, her hold steadily gained traction for a good while. Not very long, really, in reference to how he normally operated, but in such a dire situation, it dragged on.

Finally, she set her hands at relative rest at some indistinguishable distance relative to previously—in regards to strength and location entirely. Settling it all with a hush breath, he could feel her warm aura approaching his head just the slightest as he mentally panicked over what just happened. Actually, all things considered, she _was_ quite warm against him, and maybe a little... something else, too. Just... he couldn't describe exactly what.

In abandoning his eyes’ command for just a moment in favor of more consideration of his predicament, he’d made the large mistake of remaining unprepared for anything else thrown at him, even if nothing was to be done about it. In his instance, it was another of her tight compressions over him, coming with such unexpectedness and force that he managed a short squeak he’d never heard come out his own mouth before—even anyone’s, really—paired in nigh perfect sync with her own muffled squeal. 

Again, his mind attempted a pause of his entire bodily process so it could try and make sense over everything going on around itself—not solely concerning his odd reaction, either. More so the fact that she’d no doubt heard it, and if that wasn’t an excuse to get a move on with whatever she was doing at the moment, then he really had no idea her expectations.

At last, she released her fierce grip in keeping the hug ongoing, finally letting his mind breathe for a moment, if not already passed out from her entire procedure already. For a moment, he was still left staring at the exact same position he’d seen her just a moment ago, excluding her hands, of course, which were still placed over his back as he sat hunched over in front of her. He at least somewhat welcomed the pleasure of not having another face to need be staring down, though it was barely any better than having her presence in the first place.

A few times, it sounded like she attempted to get a word out, though she managed with little more than a few sudden breaths before quickly bringing him back into a tight squeeze once more. With about the same force as immediately prior to releasing him, and, again, with so much pressure over him in such a short span, he repeated his squeak as her head found its way toward the gap between his ears.

Entirely trapped once more, he was left defenseless on both spectrums to her onslaught of heat and stroking atop his clothed head, little room remaining for her own to join in, though she still made do regardless. Had she continued on with all processes except his head’s, he’d still have been considering how much he wanted to fall off the bed, crawl into that space he’d noticed under it, and starve. But... but with all that? Maybe just... maybe that could wait a little. After all, it wasn’t like he’d ever be deriving such a feeling any time in the near future—or any future, more accurately.

It was impossible not to recognize that, until the moment she finally decided to let go her increasingly fierce grip over his back—whether appreciated in the physical sense or not, he couldn’t tell—he’d be let safe from whatever shenanigans had planned for his poor body. And maybe she realized, maybe it was just as mysterious as anything else his mind came to a disputed conclusion on, though with so much warmth from her body, so much energy provided by her tugging over him and inconsistent, frail noises conveying her present exhilaration... he could actually somewhat... _sense_ what it was like to have all that heat over him at the moment. That certainly wasn’t the word for what was imagined, but whatever it was, from whatever that unimaginable force over his physical and mental state happened to be, it was so much more than the pleasure of settling his stomach after several days of work.

But... the possibility still remained that she held some gadget or device in her hands at the moment, such coherency in its overall feel compared to her hands, for say, that it was impossible to notice. For all he remained aware of, he could’ve been being drained of all his life force for the time being as she simply played it off as if she wanted nothing more than to comfort him while he was left considering exactly the situation she remained destined to make sure he never understood. He... he just had such a nice moment, too...

Another shiver sent her way came with immediate response in the form of another tight squeeze, again playing off the same inner jolt he’d been met with previously. It, much thankfully, wasn’t enough to force another sound out of him, but it still hurt with decency. Not quite with regards to his back, or even the entire outer lining of his body, more so his dying stomach, already pleading out to let him sit down and rest for a while as it struck back in attempts to relieve its own pain. Already, he felt like he could throw up all over her, and if that somehow didn’t shove him over the edge at any moment, he didn’t know what to expect out himself.

At least she seemed to understand maybe a hint of his wishes, as with a little effort and a pat on the back to signify her next action, all energy was finally lifted off him and returned to its rightful owner. Without so much another breath to top it off, her hand landed itself atop his head as she stared him down once more, pure elation still present in her eyes.

Truthfully, he happened to become quite contented after that whole procedure, regardless whether he truly understood that it was meant to be comforting. And really, he would have rather settled with being left alone, at last, if provided fulfillment of just a single wish for the time being. It wasn’t worth an attempt in any aspect, so all that could be done was to await her next move, despite action already having been taken while he lost himself.

“May I?” she began calmly, her hand already having found its way near the roof of his hood.

Of course it was a question, and of course she hadn’t yet quit in her pretending to care for him, but there happened only a single response he could see himself replying with. Down to the mere motion of his head, already being sent underway as he shivered again, he could quite clearly visualize precisely what he looked like as she stared him down. If anything, she was likely just looking for something to finally taunt him over, even if simply how much uncertainty lay in the slight nod of his head.

It was much colder in the room than he originally anticipated and expected it to be, though that was the least of his concerns for the time being. One of the highest, if not the top order dictating his action was her eyes over him, each and every strand of hair over his body visible on one of her most terrible possessions in all history. And the warmth added to it, again with the reminder of his obnoxious behavior back down below, consistently returning since then. Oh, and a little bit of internal heat over his own face as he scrunched it up over the whole situation. Stir it all up, add some spice in the form of his limited vision—at the moment, mostly obscured, save for her hair—and top it all off with... something else...

What... what actually did that bring?

Not whatever it had been just a moment ago with his hood up, definitely not something from some time in the past day, just... something much, much nicer. Too valuable for him to deserve, but it was no use disputing, despite how much he wanted to. Not after anything given to him for that one, sweet memory he’d had with her.

That was... just too nice...

It didn’t matter how much he tried to quiet down any portion of himself, down to even his own mind, it was so soothed. Just... how softly she had him held, little, if any pressure acting as a soft breather for what else was being done at the moment. Exactly the same as the gentle ruckus over his head from earlier, except... with it off...

His eyes closed before even letting him send a command to do anything with them, though it wasn’t like he was capable of doing so in the first place. With such pleasure over what likely remained the softest spot atop his head, he didn’t care what happened around him, whether it be himself trying to sabotage his own fondness of the near-silence at the moment, or even the entire world trying its hardest to drag him down into darkness. Simply the softest thing he’d ever touched in his entire lifespan, but it was so much better when putting that trait to its fullest ability. Gently stroking his fur, never pushing or pulling even the slightest over his head as it brushed by all its eager fans on a return trip, all awaiting yet another pass to lull them all into supporting him in entirety.

Within moments, he could feel the sheer relaxation over his hands and body, his ears, even his eyes, despite already having been set to rest. More than enough to report back that they could no longer function under how many processes succumbed to the pressure of deciding on a function to hold at the moment. With all others immediately joining the bandwagon—for good cause, he would have decided—all that remained past the thick sheets of his revived sense of calmness was a desolate wasteland of warmth, not a hint of strength lingering to keep his body upright.

He really hadn’t meant to let out his next of unusual noises. Be it through relaxation or total shock, he would have noticed his move regardless, as soon being pieced together upon the low purr escaping his throat’s reach. His lower subconscious was already battering him for it, and, while unnoticed, that wasn’t to say it wasn’t of no effect. Luckily, the leading seconds led to nothing except what had already been underway prior, else he would’ve been snapped back in moments.

With her soft gasp already come and gone without impact through his mind, he finally let himself at full rest, allowing not a trace of movement or force anywhere in his body while her process was ongoing. Maybe... maybe it was alright for him to stay, if only a little while. After all, he did seem to be providing at least some enjoyment to her, so what could go wrong?

Really... what? Too much to consider at the moment, but... maybe save that for another time, as there was no room left to spare for any his own thoughts while she pet him so gently. Neither seemed to mind each other’s presence for the time being, and without so much a hint of consideration one could even jolt back for a moment, it all seemed like the perfect moment. For his entire body as well, which wasn’t exactly something he could ever boast to himself about.

* * *

Too much? Just... a little?

No, far too much. Way, way too much, enough so that he could probably find a way to annoy even himself with it, had his mind not been so deep in... whatever that had been. Just... how had he managed so long without even a distant message that he was doing so much wrong? Of course, only with some spare time could he bring himself to consider what just happened then, but still? How had that all just... flown by? All over his head, already so tattered by whatever unnatural force she’d brought upon him, and the most he’d remained capable of noticing was her body in front of him.

And following as a result was her next of definite sentences delivered at his expense, left to serve as suitable punishments to correct all he’d done since being dragged into that room. Still the very same one he remained in for the time being, but... at least she’d felt enough pity over him to allow access to the bed for a while. Regardless of what it had in store for him, he really didn’t care. As long as there was something as soft as itself under him, he didn’t mind either way what happened.

Except, maybe that forever lingering stomach pain. Simply refusing to leave him be, it had decided to join along his already destroyed wasteland of a body in hopes of bringing its own design to his nonexistent commanders for evaluation. Without so much a clear ruler over his own control any longer than a few hours, at most, sickness was left free to roam throughout his stomach since some time back in those dreaded halls, not so much a care in the world let for anything happening to him or any his dwindling comfort atop the thick, comfy sheet.

Also taking into consideration that she had decided to lay him down herself and pull those warm layers over him before leaving, it was hard to say otherwise that she had something in store for him until she returned, if not already arrived in the form of how much he longed to groan at the moment. With the very fact she’d remained so overjoyed at referring to him as such things as “adorable”, nothing spoken of had sounded very pleasant in his ears. Not quite like he understood what any of it was supposed to mean, but it was a likely conjecture.

And with all past already, that left him in the mood for a watery mouth and readiness to throw up at any given moment, should he discontinue his strongest will to hold it in. In speaking of reach, he could quite clearly tell that he was nowhere near close enough to hurl it all over the edge of the bed, but it wasn’t to be any better should that happen in the first place. That stuff was terrible in stench, plain awful to look at, and overall unsettling, and if he could notice that about something, there was no doubt she felt the same way.

Oh... and it was so, so cold. Even under the sheets, it didn’t make a difference, as he was still left a constant shiver to be tacked onto the endless barrage of an even longer checklist of nearing events to unfold. One wrong turn and it’d be impossible to hold in his next move, and then she might as well just be standing over him by that point, furious about how difficult he was making it for her to sleep.

It didn’t help that his eyes were forced open, either. Not because he couldn’t sleep as a result—it was impossible, given the predicament, anyway—but because he required remain wary of the surrounding environment. Sure, he’d spent his entire life out in the open, sometimes enveloped by total darkness, and sure, from what he’d seen, her house was, at most, quite unsettling, though only if disregarding her presence adorning it. But pair both those facts together, and there lay a situation he never knew would have ever been able to rival, if not succeed, those halls’ legacy of remaining the single most terrifying experience he was to ever encounter. Out in the open, he’d had plenty of time to adjust himself to the unrestricted world of trees, grass, and flowers—most of his recollections settling with the remnants of all in shards of limited view, planted in the darkness. At least with a few bits and pieces of light, scattered about the forests, and nigh complete emptiness, save for the highly infrequent instances of noticing a few others sleeping about.

Except he’d never experienced the feeling of remaining inside a building until meeting her, not since he could recall. The closest he’d ever managed—and as a simple example—was the dead tree from that one night. There were some walls, but it lacked the roof sometimes provided alongside a more well-suited tree to the natural environment. If there was ever something to be seen, it was never anything but a bug or two, maybe a few twigs or a broken branch that had worked its way inside somehow.

Nothing even remotely unsettling, so far as he could tell. Not until associating the darkened shapes to the irregular patterns of thin lines and motionless cubes, all conjoining to form an odd structure about the height of the room. Though very difficult to distinguish it from merely a wall, for say, intense focus in the last... maybe hour or so had led to speculation of what its true form could lead to happen. If... if it broke off one of its appendages, snatched him up, and swallowed him in the rest of its wiry limbs... or opened up an eye for him to see, staring him down with a glare even more unnerving than her own. Or... or...

Maybe something so horrendously terrible, shocking to the point where he’d be the one to set himself stiff, something... so horrible, he couldn’t even imagine. Not out of unwillingness to do so, but out of lack of comprehension.

Yet despite everything previously presented to him within the room, he managed with only a slight, constant shiver, both hands wrapped over himself in a futile attempt to keep warm over his stomach’s immense pain. It truly was a miracle he hadn’t been vocalising himself, no matter how miniscule his noise may be, as any sound out him was a good reason as any to get a move on with her plan already.

Too much? For him, nowhere near enough.

In regards to his behavior? That boundary had been shattered long ago.

And as such, he was forced to deal with the brightened conditions of the room once again, which, he normally would’ve appreciated, had it not been for a certain other presence entering the room. For the moment that lay between his vision resurrecting itself and the gentle rising of his body, all he took in was the narrow glimpse of that complex structure ahead, disregarding all other aspects of the new territory already washed out. Just... why did he have to be so loud...

The few words spoken to him emerged and exited his consciousness with nothing more than an acknowledgement that they existed, then he was right back to whatever lay beyond the murky blackness obstructing his vision. Her face, it appeared, and straight into her eyes as well, as she happened to know exactly how to torture him when most needed, but at the moment, he was really just thankful that the lights were back on. Whatever she did would be far more tolerable than the sufferance of staring deep into the shadowy stalkers of her household, only ever to reveal their true nature beneath pure darkness.

Instead, though, she decided to leave him be for a moment, if not considering letting him lean limp against the wall. All alone with those terrors, monsters, creatures, whatevers, of the already awful day, but at least they were to pose no threat unless the room was darkened. Without so much a speck of blackness left in the room, there only remained the literal shadows of their former selves, which appeared and acted far less threatening than whatever lay just a quick coating over a light source away.

Moments led to minutes passing, almost an hour, his mind kept insisting, until at last, he was gifted with the faint vision of her bright hair. Not quite with so much a notion regarding to follow along, which his subconscious found rather strange, but there was no use in investigating the matter with so little energy to spare. Even if not always willing to cooperate with his intents, there’d be no way his mentality was to let its sole host draw his last breath, not any time soon.

“Deep breaths,” she ordered, unease quite prevalent in her voice, though not with anywhere near enough expression to remain noticeable over his own hoarse puffs and frail recollections of how to coexist with a decent sense of reality.

Regardless of how much he feared even a sudden misstep could accomplish, there was nothing possible allowing himself to cooperate in even the slightest. Had he even heard, he’d have been left confused as to what she was asking in the first place, though for the time being, it appeared as if she was more interested in examining his bare face once more. Fine, if that’s what it took to escape the darkness...

Her rod-like gadget was lifted off with a beep and a quick inspection on a tiny screen atop its front, making way for brief stillness to follow. Still, for the single moment she remained in place just ahead, leaning over the bed so to have a good reach over his entire body, she appeared as nothing more than an odd mix of pink and other indistinguishable colors, her warped face laying in the midst of all the nonexistent commotion. Just... as long as she didn’t mind...

Deep breaths, she said. Take... take it easy. Until she returned... oh, wait. Until she stated otherwise, then, but... it was so hard to focus. On her distant face, just a moment away from his own, on any part of the room, on his own condition... nothing mattered, just as long as she didn’t mind.

He struggled with the new material in his mouth and its adorning liquid until soon deciding that it was only worth the effort to keep upright against her hand. Not even with her voice, calling out to him several times with rather obvious distress, but for the time being, she didn’t appear too angry with him. Fine... fine.

So... no punishment, then?

“P-please...” her frail voice rang out, and for once, he could recognize who had spoken.

Before he could truly realize her disappearance from the area for the third time, an indistinguishable object was jutted down his throat a short distance, more than enough so he could feel the necessitation to choke. Little more than a soft wheeze out of him later, a cold fluid was forced down the tubing from the newcomer to his body, down toward his food hole, and deep into the suffering depths of his innards. In all its full, uncomfortable glory, with the discomfiting stare provided just off in the distance, he could realize it fully, yet all missed the necessary margin to reach his senses by the tiniest amount.

Too... much.

For anyone... too much effort...

Just a moment away, her face remained dormant, staring him down with what he presumed to be tears, though the mixture of blurry vision and dizziness made it hard to comprehend any more than the fact that she stood before him. And not with the blank stare he’d come to know so well out of her, or even the sole other expression he’d been able to make out so many times before, whatever it may have been. Something in her eyes was... distressed. Probably due to the fact that she had put in so much effort into forcing him awake, really.

Her hands soon parted themselves from the large, narrowing tube upon his wheezing a few times. Though her own panting refused to let a word off her, a slight sag in her posture revealed just how tedious the necessary procedure over him had just been.

Both continued on with panicked huffs until at last, he revealed a single sign of life she had perhaps been searching for. A few blinks was all it turned to be, but that was all it took for her to lift the large tube out his mouth, set down her teary face, and collapse into his limpness. Had he not been so dizzy, still, he’d have been more than just uncomfortable over her action, though at least she was quite warm.

Again, the procedure was nothing different than what already experienced in recency—a gentle squeeze over him and the entirety of her bodily heat—though by then, her sobs ringed loud enough to disturb even his subconscious, again wondering what was going on outside its control. Within moments, his head became quite soaked, and even if not a liquid to scare him for a more general reason, it took the lead by a longshot in its objective for another.

For the next few minutes or so, however long his mind had been losing its composure for, all memories and visions became a blur, only to resurface upon noticing her finally staring back down on him, both sitting in relatively the same position as an hour ago on the same bed. Tears still filled her eyes, though by then, they had stopped their emergences.

“I’m... sorry.” She sniffled, then immediately stuffed his face back into her body. “The nourishment I provided you... it... it was highly irresponsible of me to not check for intolerances against your body.”

Oh, he was quite hungry... still.

She finally eased the strength over his head and attempted to look into his eyes, only to soon force him back into the high-compression status of just a moment ago. Whether that be for the same reason as earlier that day, that was something he could debate on with some time to stare.

“Tomorrow,” she stated, slight shakiness still prevalent in her voice. “We may find edibles more suited to your needs, then.”

It appeared as if she’d let him go for a moment, though it was quickly revealed to be a fakeout as she sniffled once more and rested her head over him. For the time being, he’d be locked in a tight sandwich between the sobbing mess she’d been not moments ago, her forceful hands over his back and head, and all the warmth she brought along, though he did happen to be physically pleased, despite it all. And with such force over him—partly out of regained consciousness, too—he could clearly notice she’d at least had the decency to lift his hood back up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the frig is this chapter so long


	6. Scrap Trailing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Susie gets a visit from CPS.

For once, he could tell his mind wasn’t lying when said a single move could force him down again. Not even as an exaggeration, as clearly demonstrated by lack of any support given to any of him, save his hands, but at least his chest still groped onto the warmth still above, as had far too many times to count already, with a strength so indistinct in regards to appearance and actual energy that it was impossible to tell whether it really was helping at the moment.

With warmth came nauseousness, though that was something he could live with more so than his tears, for say. Of all times could be decided upon, all locations of varying scopes of threat upon the action, all other, indistinguishable factors... even his own body didn’t care for himself. At least the sickness was of another doing, yet it still realized that, with the presented opportunity, it could at least prolong it for ensuing action.

And sure, his heavily conflicted eyes—torn between shutting themselves from dampening any of the outside world and remaining wary of the terror just out from the covers—still made their best efforts to freeze over his entirety of head and ears once more, dizziness prevalent in them alone, but his only readied response lay in silence. At the moment, there lay something far greater to be addressed, even if a repetition of so many times just prior.

“Good morning,” she said calmly upon noticing his eyes opening themselves to the world beyond the warmth of the sheets.

All he could do was helplessly gaze on as she started toward him and took a seat near the other end of the cushion. While the matter was... decent enough last he’d done the same, the apparent lack of distance given to the sheets compared to the day before wasn’t of any help.

“Was your rest adequate?”

Another tear spilled from one of his eyes—impossible to denote, but still recognizable. He barely slipped out a nod against great chunks of binded, airy mess packing his control, losing himself halfway through an unparticular slide against the soft surface obscuring all but his head. It didn’t quite reach the potential held in the sole other times ever on such a surface, in regards to the sheets and the motion itself, though the point was made, regardless. Just... hopefully not too vaguely...

His eyes blurred in the few moments as her hand started toward his head, searing from the indistinguishable force transmitted through her blank glare. Quite... much, for him, but there was no going against her will to rub it as such. Out came a narrow choke from behind his throat, somewhere indistinct to all the outside world, and he barely managed to keep his queasiness under control for the interminable seconds following. No memories of her brief warmth, but that was doable, nothing necessary to ever call back to.

“I’m sorry for the cramped conditions,” she said after another brief glance at the frame and its contents beside. “This was my only available accommodation for this particular use.”

Distancing glance from her eyes the best he could, a slight whimper emerged as he strung together enough liquid for another tear. His stomach clenched from a spurt of stinging, but the greater focus was placed on anything except. A mental note would do enough to get by.

“I will clear the surrounding space as soon as I can.” Her gaze shifted down, weaving to the side slightly, then she sighed again and let on another saddened, partial gaze. “Please excuse the untidiness in the meantime.”

A second of stillness came, then the intense throbbing from just beneath his chest started up again, a wince almost forced out as the silence was finally noticed. There was little to be done about the tears except hope she wouldn’t get too furious when one inevitably fell atop the warm and delicate sheets in use by both, more unnecessary for one than anything.

“I understand you wish to eat soon...”

Her hand stopped an unnoticed approach about half the distance between herself and the tip of his body.

“I’m sorry, all else I currently own is of similar composition to what I have already provided you.” She swished aback, tracking the form between some lower abyss and the trace of her palm over herself among her reel. “It would not be advisable to take any more of the such lest any possible risks be faced.”

Murkiness, then her voice came again, distant, to serve a reminder of his presence just before her, unjustified, yet she perceived it as adequate, at very least. She couldn’t be left wasting her voice on every little command she wanted him to do—that would be quite more than poor priorities on his part serving to himself before the very one provided so much already, and soon to come.

“Please, make any necessary preparations for our departure, and see me in my laboratory upon your completion,” she said, slowly backing up toward the door. “Take as much time as you’d like.”

Little more than another piercing gaze to silence all his bodily processes for a moment, she finally left him in peace with the terror still left awaiting his attention. Without even giving it a good look in the unnatural light of morning, or whatever time it was, it wasn’t hard to distinguish its extreme inability to so much compete with her intents, though it’d at least hold off until she felt like a return was necessary.

That... framework, merely a skeleton of something yet to be filled in between narrow gaps of perfectly aligned, reflective bars, all conjoining to form a singular entity with an expectancy of its own, looming over him through the entire night and beyond, even at such a distance—about a second from the bed at usual pace, if taking a wild guess against nauseous will. Come to think of it, those cubes he’d even seen the night prior... sure, as mysterious as anything, but...

How had he even made them out in the first place? As no more than a selection of shadows, even, compiled to form the great monstrosity seen the night prior, but whatever that truly was before him... frightening, yes, but maybe not as bad as expected. Just... right there, where he could see it, and if anything happened, he could move before then.

Of course, just... move out of the way if it reached toward him, or took a step in any given direction, or made some unnatural noise, or...

He could just... move right out of the way if it decided to fire some horrid ball of destruction hurling at him... it even had the same color, after all. In a general sense, but... still.

Nothing to worry about, just don’t make a noise and await transfer...

Nothing... to worry about, just don’t cause any annoyance...

That was just too much a sight, too much a simple thing to resist releasing his memory in greatness, despite how much simple progress had been made in the time since then. No need to cry, no time for that, not like... he could still feel that, even. The hollowness, the running droplets, nothing...

Well, one of those, at least, but...

Don’t cry. Just don’t cry. Anything else, just don’t cry in such a position.

Cope with it, let it starve off of lack of attention, but... that’d be too hard. Leave it behind, and nothing would even care that it mattered, would it?

The door flung open again, its notice only given upon the even more greatly dreaded sight being seen. “Are you ready?” her voice rang plainly.

That... was enough, wasn’t it?

That hurt...

And she was right beside him, too, revealing her greatest indifference to the situation with little more than a blink every so often, not so much a flinch of her hands upon her lap to coincide with any drowned sob of his. Though he knew how incredibly hopeless it was, through how much his upsettingly and futilely muffled tears attempted to bring the pain to him, all he longed for at the moment was for the vision of her to just disappear, just for a single moment.

Just a bit of her heat, despite how needy he was for even daring to think of such a thing, a little bit, a tiny fraction of a second, then her apparition could just disappear without mind. Sure, she hated him with every portion noticeable and else, but she’d at least leave him alone, so long as he didn’t cause any disturbance. A quick reach, and that’d be it, not even a brush of his fingertips... and that’d be more than fine.

The sole lens still struggling to keep the vision in his fixed gaze finally dropped upon his arbitrary blink, leaving his blank stare behind as a tradeoff for lack of what he so desperately longed in the brief moments prior. Another whimper of disbelief signed its arrival, futile hopes of even a fading of her bright hair to appear before him again, a singular tear, unsure of what had just happened, though still prime and eager to get its habitual job underway, all out, little else following in leading moments, seconds, maybe even minutes.

One... more? Anything of the sort, regardless of consequences, any successive depletion of following longings of the sort, but he was so cold.

“Have you almost finished?”

The gentle sound, finally blessed to come to his senses, reverberated throughout the room, past the enigmatic creature beside him and the structure beneath, no less than a grace to his ears, as finally demonstrated by unintentional ignorance of her visible concern, lingering in the middle of the doorway. For none other than him to hear, as well, but he didn’t even mind. Her quietude alone was all needed to silence his tears, sobs, whimpers, and all else attempting to reveal him as prey once more.

He barely could believe the cushion compressing just slightly beneath him upon her seating. Even the stare was as real as ever, despite jamming the processes keeping his face relatively upkept, its appearance unchanged from a moment ago upon his absentminded nod, even... some long time ago...

His words barely managed to restrain themselves against his twitchy mouth, even if unknown their intent in the first place. Enough celebration of being gifted her presence once more, else the prior silence was sure to force some less than wanted action of some sort out of him.

“Is there anything else need be done?” Despite not altering her face in the slightest, her voice still managed to warp a fatigued vision into that appearance. “It would be preferable we go soon, if not.”

The question, been actually regarded, was given an accurate mental response before realization quickly struck. Hurriedly, yet still as gentle as always been, his head shook, order of importance thankfully restored in time before he did something unreasonable.

“I see.”

She took a few gentle breaths in otherwise silence, liquid still lingering atop his eyes as they barely managed a fixed gaze toward her hands atop each other, once again impossible to distinguish as anything but static unless given prior notice. Just as calm as ever, though as always, a single misstep was all it took.

His stomach stirred, welling another drop in his eye as her head shifted. A heavy sigh came, then her hand dropped from whatever it had been doing just a moment ago.

“I’m sorry,” she said, somewhat down in both contexts. Moments passed in silence, more and more fluid troopers left in great wondering as they emerged in hopes of an understanding themselves. “For neglecting you any sort of consumable liquid, I never intended to cause any form of dehydration.”

About the same vial from however long prior, if maybe a bit larger, was thrusted before his face at such a slow pace relative to anything before, even himself when maximising puny effort, an eye-catching shade comparative only to maybe a few flowers scattered about keeping it just a moment away from spilling all its few, clear contents over his chest. Begging and pleading would’ve been more than fine by him to keep such an effect, so long as it meant he didn’t have to face a conscious form of the bath already been given.

Another brief call to him, and he locked a few of his fingers around it without second thought. Even faster than anything he could recall from the metallic havoc faced back above, his entirety blasted itself with frigidness comparable to nothing nature could bestow upon him no matter its strongest desires, the mere, yet still decent distance between both them atop the already icy surface managing to convey its warmth through constant attempts to relieve it through his own opposed efforts.

She hadn’t let go by the time darkness exited his vision, whenever, though her consistent nudges since then were quite more noticeable. Prevented any further, at least, but alone, that meant little more than another reign of immobility beneath all his fur.

Annoyed, probably, she quickly took action upon his next shying of nonexistent scope. Still as frigid as he recalled, the vial let its liquid seep down where it needed to be expelled, some time or another—without so much force, but he didn’t know whether that was any better than squeezing all energy into his eyes for the entire duration. No longer than fifteen seconds, if his subconscious actually bothered for him at the moment, but an eternity sounded like a much more suitable explanation for whatever had become of his stiff lifelessness for that period.

The last drop let the unfamiliar territory and all disgust gathered alongside it out his mouth, finally, his hand abandoned even after plopping back against his coated stomach, though he couldn’t help but simply wonder for a brief moment following. Not about how close her hand had become to his eyes, even how she’d pinpointed the location of his mouth so perfectly, breached its outer layer under such ease, and watered down his sapped innards without so much a care on her face, but some other of her infinite, otherworldly presences brought inside him. Nothing to bother worrying about at the moment, but if she did that again, maybe he wouldn’t mind so much.

“Was that admissible?” Her hand reached back to its regular position a moment after the soft clink emerged from past her.

A silent, confused chaos stirred up the first cold drop of sweat, and the innards of his face sagged, a frigid breath fleeing his grasp upon another second under her blank, yet intense emission of whatever it was out her stiff eyes.

“Oh.” One of her hands lifted itself out of view. “Oh, I’m... so sorry.”

Silence, then she shifted slightly and made a sort of mumble. Another gushed droplet rolled just beside his mouth, though he couldn’t bother to tell whether it was even from his eyes.

“I’d like to apologize for my behavior last night.” A barely noticeable stutter was output, then she let another deep breath. “It was very wrong of me not to consider your opinion on the matter. At very least, it had become necessary of me to examine your perspective, but... I cannot fathom what had been running through my head at the time.”

Near impossible to so much notice, the farthest his vision stretched for the leading moments revealed a soft brush of her hand just behind her head, its intention obvious to any state of his but his current.

“It was no less wrong of me to abandon you, either.” Her head nudged its gaze downward a tad, too little to notice on its own, though the faint sight of her eyes quite clearly distinguished how far it’d moved from its usual resting place. “Never again will I make the same mistake,” she nearly whispered, trembly, “I promise.”

One more temporary relievement of stress, and her hand finally took notice of the unrestriction faced. Content to all its free will, it was left spread over his chest within moments, an inexplicable flinch coinciding with her setting down. Not out of warmth, even—he already felt quite more than enough—but it wasn’t any easier pinpointing the true nature of the cause any more than thinking about it in the first place.

“I’m very sorry.”

What exactly she was apologizing for was beyond any reason or comprehension—the very fact he’d been with her so long deserved many in itself. From so much of the valuable heat of her house, too, out her hand, the very structure supporting them both, the walls themselves, her faint aura, just the mere feeling of seeing the household at all, yet he couldn’t bring himself to speak a word without extreme unnaturality striking in leading moments.

Why hadn’t _he_ been the one doing such a thing? No more denying or offtracking the idea, shoving it aside to freeze him over later, that was something that really needed to be addressed before she possibly let out another tear of her own again. Just... get it over with already, before something happened.

“Please,” she whispered, turning to him with eyes almost trembling from their positions. “You require sustenance.”

She stood, perfectly still as always shown to be, her hand silently beckoning for him to follow before she took position just outside the doorway. Mentality and chest boiling, he finally stumbled off his rest position and bumbled closest to previously demonstrated pace as possible upon her soft calling, his hood drooping upon his slightest movement.

Outside, no doubt. As exact as the day prior as possibly could be remembered, down to the likely exact position of her hand clasped near entirely over his own, a difference so large between them she could coat both his own without a single soul knowing what lay beneath that warm layer, the sun’s lingering ray, taken refuge upon her body for additional comfort or torture when needed most. Static as the bright trail protruding from her head, even, brighter and more enthralling than a single other plant barely noticed through the big, dark clouds of... darkness, out in the night.

So... tempting, he could barely restrain himself from causing even more shame than already experienced once before. With the brightness of mid-morning painting it with such energy, it was so, so hard not to shift glance even slightly over at it from regulated locks toward the ground. Maybe... just a little wouldn’t cause too much trouble for himself.

A big mistake, was all he could conclude in leading moments.

All strength was quickly disregarded by his blindness and incessancy in refusing to think anything otherwise, a struggle continuously fought against simultaneously adjusting his glance to where he hoped the waves descended to, and merely keeping his eyes moving in the first place over the incredible bulk attempting to force them back down, soon culminating into a big mess his exhaustion couldn’t handle any more. An invisible whimper, a flung tear, maybe, and immense exertion just trying to keep him upright, and the stumble was inevitable.

“Are you alright?” she asked just a moment after his collision.

Eyelids still brushing against a few strands of the ground’s own bitter hair, the next tears laid down their unstoppable forces in attempt to breach his own defenders, though he didn’t even care anymore. For what he’d just tried to do, anything was alright, so long as he got what was deserved.

Warmth took a clasp just over his back, almost immediately shifting to his hand with all to come from him serving under anything but what he needed at the moment. Why, of all times, did it have to be such a little thing causing it all to begin again...

The merest sensation of his hand being lifted by essentially a fragment of the concept of warmth sent enough of an impulse to jolt him slightly, his hands unsure of their own objective as her own stopped just a moment from where she’d just dropped it. Each continuously begged one another for anything to go their way, just a moment, leaving him stranded on the floor as some coordination was attempted between any of him.

Panicked breaths, then he opened his eyes to stare into anything but what all else of him had hoped for. Truthfully, it was more than fine to suit whatever had been his longings just before the next of what never to forget, regardless how he objected to the such notion. Arguing against it was pointless—standing was the best concern to address so she didn’t have to hold him any longer.

A close drop was all it took for the wish to fulfill itself, even if being forced around somewhere no later than the fierce gust struck, paralyzation the first of several to be transmitted to his barely standing form behind. Out of the several reasons he could faintly consider, it certainly wasn’t due to the sheer chilliness having swept any control off his hands.

“Hello again, Miss Haltmann.”

The voice was low, so deep it could probably puncture the blackness of any apple destined to be found by him particularly. Slightly monotonous, but his any nonexistent hopes of finding the culprit of it was shredded by her blocking the entire view for him. By what little he could see, of course—a mere glance up was all it’d take to see to past her, though her hair could’ve proved a problem in itself.

“Greetings,” she was quick to reply, evidently more simple in attitude than whatever unidentifiable vigor had been driven into the other one.

A nearing footstep slowly boomed against his ears, carelessness the only noticeable trait demonstrated ahead and over his sole constrained hand. The other was beyond his senses at the moment, though he didn’t even bother with any more than the coldness perceptible by it before leaving it to trail all else of him, limply beside.

“I presume your built compulsion to torment me could be restrained no longer?”

Still rather indifferent, her voice sounded, yet it also seemed a little more... disdainful. The mere thought of it hurt his head quite more than already so.

A pair of taps against the ground drew closer, both others’ stubbornness instead lingering as an external substance lashed at his back, its force only to reckon defeat upon the dreaded procedure of finding something decently sharp to scratch with. The reasoning behind refusal of any sort of movement was evident in one, at least.

“There is no need for small talk,” the unseen entity stated, plainly, as if factual declaration.

Brief quietude struggled over them as her clasped hand shifted position, the momentary sensation half-considered while it lasted.

“I fail to notice your reasoning of arrival.”

“Too stubborn to give him up, I see?”

Another step closer, and she drew back just the slightest, the flashy color just before him in the leading moment immediate to draw his own attention. But... best not to while she was busy, even at all, for that matter. Had it not been for her unnoticeably greatening strength over his hand, he’d have already taken to the sidelines.

His throat ached for the brief eternity spent under her inspection, draining his mentality’s efforts even as she left the enthrallment back before him. Really, just don’t even think about it... enough had gone out of favor for her already, and she didn’t need something else to bother with at the moment.

“Your new gathering... a test subject, it appears?”

She was quick to accommodate for the lack of direct blockage between him and the other figure. “He is nothing of the sort.”

Still as calm as ever been, her tone revealed a thinning patience barely dwindling in her. In itself, it managed another sporadic shaking out of him.

“Yes, I am quite sure of that.”

To any extent he was capable of noticing, the next few moments lay with little but general silence in all aspects, both their bodies stiff, as always, yet something about hers told of even greater lifelessness than anything before. Even unpaled in comparison to something so unaffected such as the grass, none even knew competition with how incredibly still most her remained, simply too awed by all, and distracted by the breeze fluttering by.

Oh, the breeze as well. It was... fine, while it lasted back in the unexplored depths of forests and obscurity under suns and moons, but it was more so doable without—those robes of his had proven enough times already the susceptibility to all nature’s wrath as soon as the stars revealed the true coldness of the night. Though, with what performance managed to display just before his eyes, beyond the outer reaches of his drab posture and hood, and assisted by none other than one of his usual opposers...

So... good.

So mesmerizing and mutual to magnificence, nullifying all buddifying hostility of his head, so simple, yet sophisticated, the mere motion against near inexperiencable wind displayed it so proudly, despite her ongoing loosening of approval for much anything, judging by her tone. He really, _really_ shouldn’t have been so thrilled and lulled by such a minor inconvenience of hers, even to the point of letting his own mentality essentially dozing as a result, but an opportunity such as his own was nowhere near short of excusable by his drained spirit.

Each time the breeze came along, a slight internal celebration came as the waves brushed ever so slightly against each other, threatening one against his own face every so often, but he didn’t mind if that’d be the case. His face, already warm and trembling by mere sight, barely managed to hold to its regulations through just the faintest reminder that the vibrant color just before him had an owner. Maybe... if he did his best, she wouldn't even notice, should he choose that path.

Just once? All he’d ask for, then nothing else was ever needed, ever again, and he could be left to rot on his own, at least alongside the memory to savor. Of course, if even himself allowed for such a thing at the moment—his mouth couldn’t even keep steady, and it hardly moved in the first place.

“Are you certain of your any doings against him?” the farther one continued in his standardized tone. “This... adolescency you’ve forced a return to, do you still not recognize the consequences he is to assume?”

“No such procedure has been forced upon him.”

Sheer silence crowded once more, and his eyes stammered in an attempt to blink even once.

“I can assure you, I’ve known him for quite longer than you presume. He’d not be one to experiment with magic upon himself.” 

“Would you care to provide adequate reasoning to his presence in cold and solitary overnight, then? It appears you must have some explanation for your intents of leaving him outside my household, given your relation with him.”

To the side arrived the faintest sight of grey, somewhat similar to that of her upper clothing, though it was pointless even trying to imagine such a thing. At most—if possible to refer to it as even a disregard to penalty—the slightest sliver of her shadow shone down on him, but it really wasn’t any better than remaining beside her in the first place.

“That was not of my doing.”

Better than inside her house, alone? Not like he’d gotten that setting exactly, but it was a safe bet doubting that claim.

“Do you hold any other concerns to exhaust my time, or shall I be going?”

But the forests... those were something great. A natural gift of the world, to put it simply, everything he needed set just before when nothing else worked with him. Not to insist they ever did, but at very least, they only somewhat minded his misdoings against them.

“That depends.” A soft pat came from the speaker’s relative position. “Are you willing to cooperate?”

“I will do no such thing,” she immediately retorted. “Now, we must be—”

Maybe another breeze was all it truly wished to present itself as, the surged puff stored up from some indistinguishable position beyond them both. As it sliced through the thin air, the penetrating force tingled and twitched his ears, he could’ve promised himself. Some movement from him probably came, one definite of her, sudden as wind’s decision to blow whenever felt the need.

And a slight jump of the perfect, smooth waves lining the air across her back. Oh... just...

“This is not a request.” The stern tone barely signaled its momentary arrival to him, immediately pulverized upon the merest hint of its traces among daze. “Give him to me.”

That... oh, what just happened? A little too... jumpy, it was. Boundy, it patted a return along her back, so softly with an immense potency calling to him, just him in particular, to come forth, even if only a moment. Too loud against his shivers and silent sobs, it couldn’t be ignored under incredulously and hopelessly disbanded sights inside him, whatever that may have been. Not even limited to his head—all around, probably, the tingling grew and grew, never to succumb to a single other force no matter how hard any tried. Not too much longer, hopefully, and proper skill in the sneaking department _had_ to be one of the nonexistent untrembling skills within him, or...

“No,” one said, maybe her.

He really should’ve kept himself quiet.

They knew of it, one way or another, hers or some other, the tug was more than justified under how much irritation had resurfaced. He couldn’t recognize their knowings, as the distraction was perfectly set in place for him, why... maybe just forget the questionings. Too much mindpower while his head was already soaked, anyway.

A simple sob, then they shot back up where been so many times recently, back where the tears would be left to collect for their second meeting after departure. Probably not, actually, as her hands weren’t even touching her eyes, but the glimpse taken with shock from the unearthly warmth against his hands was likely saying some other than what had already been envisioned. Just one more session of those sounds, just one more, and maybe he could make it by.

“You are truly mistaken if you believe I am willing to express pity,” the mostly spherical figure from some distant locale announced for what appeared only her to perceive over growing tears. “He will not be returning to your experimentation any time in the future.”

“Meta...” The sight of her bright colors, waving and dancing against her slightest slide forward, neared. “Please, I have never meant him any harm.”

“And this point has not been disproven already?”

A sniffle, then her face drew even closer. “I deeply apologize for my prior actions, I can ensure I will never do such a thing again.”

It was a little cold, actually...

They stared on toward whatever it was his own face was so fixated on, hopeless through contemplation’s effects, the obscurity of all but a soft contrast against color both stared on at revealed in tandem with another inner flinch of one of his hands, whichever had decided to break free.

“That has far been disregarded.”

Maybe a sag, then he fell back limply. Even if not letting his range of view or reach of hands altered in the slightest, probably the overall distance covered when his stomach contracted, it was still a wretched wish.

“I’m sorry you’ve had to endure this so long,” came a quieter tone just beside, continuing pleads making it difficult to attribute remaining energy to listening. “We’ll get you back to normal as soon as we can.”

Another sniffle, and she reached forward, but they were already gone. Gone beyond whatever left he could perceive, beyond his outer reaches of the distant doorway, beyond his any hopes of lasting behind the gentle curve of her own variation of bodily hair possessed himself, strayed so near in just that fleeting jolt. Lost behind a wall of decreasing noise, the nonexistent scrapes and sure guarantee of the grass beneath, but it was probably better just to ignore that, all else, whatever felt like.

Not the hard lift and second flash of wind, the deep, dense greenery beneath, but the single statement made just moments before. “Normal”, but for him. Not the fact that it’d been regarded in the first place, though looking past that, maybe... normal.

Forget it, then. Such a simple task before him, more effortless to obey than ever to disregard, yet he didn’t know how to stay silenced as a rock, one more peaceful and sturdy than he could ever become.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so basically I decided to add some dialog here and I thought it'd be fine until I got to the outside conversation. Then holy poop.
> 
> Why the actual poop did it have to be so poopin annoying to write this poopin poopy poop conversation just any poopin words a session before my poopin brain felt like pooping me over and saying "poop you heres your poopy work for the day". So I decided to just go with it and reassure myself it'd be fine next time I decided to start writing I'd just plow through the work despite how badly I was doin' but then poopy mind of me decided to keep pooping me every poopin time I wanted to try writing and all I didn't stop getting pooped until I just pooped through the last poopin bulk of this chapter's draft.
> 
> On a somewhat related note: After taking a refresher on Susie's exact appearance, I realized her eyes are a lot bigger than I remembered. The greater amount of information currently stored by a given individual.


	7. Anagrammatic Artificiality

Really, all it was? Simplified to the point of maybe caring to reconsider the sight such a long day ago, yet keeping any more steady than already jittering was difficult enough as it was, continuation of successful efforts of prior striking over and over again, a reminder, a soon bank, eventually memory—he’d promise to encode some time in the near future.

Not to say that _wasn’t_ noteworthy for a good moment with one another, but to be fair, that other didn’t even bother retaliating against any amount of force thrown up in the air, all the world left before that defect’s inexpression to take a single step to the side before getting shoved, sound shrouded under the slight bounding, whatever that was, of chuckles’ reach, mystifying situation by sound of the very same halls explored by that blue kid in recency.

Come to think of it, actually...

“Hey,” he started. Digitized eyes shifted, though faces’ physicality lay unaltered. “You remember that kiddo from yesterday?”

“You think my banks are missing some function or something?”

All could be done was stare, despite him of course not caring one bit, likely even bothering to enable realization of his own glance changing before him. Three seconds, give or take a few fractions, edged by, piece by piece reassembling the distant notion of disregarded, offset tapping incomparable to any else’s steps upon the hollow halls. Trapped beneath the ruins of searing intensity—those boards no doubt warped to some malfunction or another—the only recognizement of the simple walk cycle came of direct onlooking.

“Yeah, let’s go with that. Anyway, I was thinking...”

He stepped up beside the consistent bob of their last preprogrammed entity, instability down to even the slightest tumble of its motion imperceptible to any’s degree. One second, his hands raised, feet aligned to strafe alongside the bunch’s inattentive one, then the next, slammed both appendages forward at maximum designated force, completely toppling it over with another crinkling sounding under confines of its invariable expression, limp, physically, against the greyed grounds, inability to regain posture in its continuing walk cycle causing uncontrollable fits nearby.

“So,” he continued after personalized sound had subsided. “Boost that up a little and shred it up against some more dysfunctional being, and you see what I’m saying?”

Contemplation whirred, all the while, more arbitrary effects systematically marching toward perception in forms of metallic clanks and collisions.

“Y’know, I don’t think there’s any lesser than it over there.” A thumb stuck toward the tumbled victim on the floor. “It’s not like that’s much—”

“You get what I’m saying, of course he’s barely better! Look, I’m saying just visualize that same procedure over again, but instead using some squishier company as a substitute, you get it?”

Noiselessness repeatedly struck hard, then limply every interval of its any motion, each time almost bringing some subsidiary of irritation to glance before finally realizing where the expected reply had trailed to. Still as himself, another identical construct continued on his staring session at the differing feebleness of ground against gushing competency in the walls’ capability to set use as no greater than barricades.

Almost intrigued, he finally glanced the same direction. Moments by, then seconds, probably ten or so, impossible to denote with an unset timer, then came a repeated motion, instead against the last other still standing. He stumbled, though managed his balance.

“What squishier company?” he continued immediately upon the final step being set upright.

“Huh? I sure wonder what I was just talking about literally three steps back.”

He paid no mind and continued toward, right until beside the sole motion of the hall.

“I don’t suppose he’d be coming back any time.”

Had it not been for his lookalike’s prevailing action, yanking the last of them finally upright so to journey forward without direction once more, his response would have been immediate. Perfectly coordinated with just how much he could point out the blatancy of any given situation, one evident to both and himself, yet at least that... “machine” didn’t have a processor of its own, else there’d be two touches of endless meddle to apprehend every time one other spoke a word.

Hurried steps arrived from down at their halt point, soon back to given positions after bursting forward to leave his only other in the slight rear. Then silence, as usual, yet for once, he could see himself laying honesty down for once and agreeing with awful synthesizers subdued, at last.

Almost to the next bridging of walls, two finishing the round without trouble of any sort, disregarded reminder bounded off the continuing clanking of the wall, again.

“I got it,” the latter sighed.

With a few beeps, clicking, and another smack of rotary intent, it continued forward once more, a second later trailing the cause for such basic command, motioning forward in stellar impatience, only to seconds later be overtaken once more. Another exertion of annoyance emerged, expected of another sound, though decrepit seas of steps lay all to fill the untouched atmosphere of passed insentience.

Again without threat of noise, but enough had gone since thankfulness of lack for perspective to flip right around to standard portrayal, and before all one couldn’t realize, the wall clanked again, the flawed instead being left to roam ahead. Some unminded attitude, and pace soon drew back to unintentionally lag after their quickest, but neither else minded.

Rounded another corner, prior forgettal and reprogramming upset once more, and down the longest hall for hours they came through. A distant, yet recognizably blank stare met unmatched crowd of the hall without display of much resembling any possible to convey for one else his very same kind, and really, that was more than fine—just some added bonus to being the lucky specialties, after all. Come and by, they went, expression digitized since long before, never a pixel plastered elsewhere a moment, and flat fronts continued without worry of altered footsteps arriving in opposing direction their own path, soon rowdiness failed to see reason to stop after so much time.

Another door entered gaze, and one wandered off without them in the predetermined straight line. Beside came a halt, himself following in suit without question.

“Hey Driller.”

“Yeah?”

A finger jabbed the air leading toward the singular gatekeeper and narrow entryway. “You got any procedures laid out today?”

“Nah. You good?”

“Sure as you. Come on.”

One step down, another came of behind, and soon came what seemed like the seventh repetition of a face bombing into the wall, except with a slightly softer surface to soothe the empty aura of the sight ahead. Both soon arrived at the site of the defect’s minor misfortune, opportunity’s worth obvious, but it didn’t seem that the gatekeeper had been given much sentience after momentary observation of sole company.

“Stand here,” he said, pointing at the ground with their last in grasp, still futilely, automatically continuing its stubbornness in refusing to comply without consistent lack of rest. “Just a bit.”

He took position between another set of inputs of behind and the oblivious guard, staring in on the situation without a care for the duo’s evident intent. A few taps sounded, one from his own foot, many of the robot and its commander behind, some electronic jingle stored so long ago for whatever purpose saved for, then another word signaled completion, and the blankest of faces took the lead, difference in height between it and two else conjoining to obscurity as exact heads and an outcast lined the path forward.

Path open, giggling only stained the openness of higher access upon the door finally locking behind them, so many unclear shapes waltzing around and by under disregard due to expression of the sole unstill. Soon fraught with laughter completely, a few stares drew evident, though the environment mostly subsided in the looks department.

“I still find it hard to believe why the sentry back there couldn’t have been assigned to one with just a little more intelligence.”

Slides ignored any others’ presence in favor of disregarding words altogether, the single loss of a hand atop it to lead to some other action ahead, yet he didn’t seem to mind. Free to vivid imagery of forbidden grounds, the dock lay soon, slowly explored by two and an ineffectual greeting dragged alongside, chatting filling not only their, but countless others’ airs of those given power not unsimilar to their own level of understanding, bored, some sounded, and soon themselves, at the end of a room half deserted from their stance.

“You know what this place is for?”

His eyes teleported to a corner of the face a moment, hands raising in conjunction to emulate confusion.

“Oh, think its the... export dock, if I recall correctly? Sends out some of that production the unders have been manufacturing so long.”

“That’s what they do in all their spare time? Uh, time, I mean?”

“Yup.” Both hands raised forward, letting loose the sole belonging for some expression he couldn’t bother with at the moment. “Most of them get trapped there, but the other majority are sent to generate some nonsense for us to hold onto in case some quick location or command needs to be sent.”

“Like, those ‘pre-names’, you mean?”

“Uh-huh.”

Silence continued onward, a dwindled stumbling failing to grab any’s attention.

“It’s permanent, isn’t it?”

“Well, duh. How you supposed to mention a self-assigned serial without bringing up twenty other individuals simultaneously?”

“Jeez, calm down. Just asking a question.”

“Same here.”

Distant chuckling parted way from the limit of sound beyond either their capabilities, soon reaching for immediate disregard in both’s internal silent whirring. Better than could be said for that other one, at least.

“So you saying if they were to—”

“Yeah.”

“Let me finish!” he stormed, another set of light stomping beside already interrupting under lack of care.

“I knew what you were going to ask, I was just answering it prematurely.”

“Well... what if I was going to ask whether they were to shred your new tag entirely, huh? Why’s it so hard for you to keep your old one as much as the defect?”

He stepped forward. “You can’t keep it any better than I can—”

“So it does matter?”

“Also, what kind of question even is that! You know how braindead it is, why does it matter more than mine?”

One turned completely, leaving the other in failure to tell what was so wrong about empty hands ahead.

“Well, Driller’s a nice one, picked it out myself. Don’t suppose any others—”

Dashing complemented the unwarranted silence before his remark could finish, many peering over at the unintentional efforts caused by minor misconduct, but at least he could realize the wrongdoing himself, for once. Not like it mattered in such a situation with steadily depleting distance between himself and the two others, both starting the same direction toward one of the pods, but at least there wouldn’t be so much conflict following immediately afterward.

“Wait up!” he shouted, distance closing faster and faster, exponentializing in rate until moment’s notice caught too late for the crash to lay disputed.

Already so close to the entry point, the last figure slammed inside, directly into the array of mismatched colors and shades of grey composing the control panel with minor audibility of damage succeeding the task of freezing both others to spectation, gazing inside helplessly through unwillingness, soon inability through the proofed door and stable window. First thought possible threat to the escape itself, destination knowingly unset despite neither having set foot in any before, soon realized the moment next, a feeling underived from any before seeing the true layer of defunct nature resided within the cleft of the defect’s cracked screen inside.

And soon, an ejection, blasted forth a puff nonexistent behind the crowded transparency jumbled by both’s faces, peeping out into the depths of darkness the pod had latched to. Turned around, silence continued to daunt without much more than a few cautious glances toward two sole contenders keeping the worthless export a secret for two or so seconds, he was sure.

“Gone now,” the other one said in moments, turning with another projection of some shrug.

“So... now what? We don’t have one to flick around any more, how are we gonna pass the time?”

“Well, gee, _you’re_ certainly one to not dispute over who to shove next, why even bother to ask?”

A sigh approached, already knowing of the destruction caused in that remark, though maybe a moment could go by without considering some other wrath soon to lay in their wrangle over rejection and common issue. Not like one another knew each other’s expectation of an inevitable taunt, but soon malfunction of missing the specialty of brutalizing a blue-coated ovoid was all laid to subprograms at the moment.

* * *

That was a terrible thing, he couldn’t forget. First indistinct, warped minds of insentience’s own form in bland walls, hard flooring, then afterward, impossible to consider for the mere reminder, a similar shape of the one guiding—dragging, himself trembling along lifelessly, capacity could properly describe when without worry’s necessitation about that simple transformation of metal material to such an inescapable distance—down the frigid touch of open air, sturdy as the environment, even as so far up above. That feeling, just out of grasp, he could just barely sense it under the pained, nonexistent weight of waves upon his eyes, certainly not heavy, but cold it surely was.

Considering that was no better, anyway... just another of those spherical beings beside him, just as obscured as any seen previously in the shape seen time and time again, the one held that bright flash of pink to subconscious lust, over and over. Certainly dull, he’d doomed himself to believe, misunderstood of his own reign of delusion keeping a corpse afloat.

To somewhere still, finally, though it was hard to understand otherwise with the ever growing swishing of all his innards, beyond threatening of a topple should he continue to exist with them in tow. The seat, whatever had become of beneath him, was freezing, as himself maybe more so, and any else of him still led to the misconception of how much colder a layer of fur and thinnest robes could actually become under so many stares.

A pat down. A spoken word, invisible. A nearing aura of intense, burning panic beside, then dispersed. Some sign of life, he maybe responded, just a simple, quick whisper of breath, then he could just get tossed back out... just like before, those two, that last, indifferent of the bunch, unforgettable tints of red, an irreplaceable glare of sheer disappointment without more than eyes, blue and yellow alike. Then... he could just take that position again, the defect of the ever-increasing bunch of colors around.

“Trident, Javelin,” a dark voice commanded, “secure the entry. The rest of you, stationed inside.”

The familiar sound bounced back inside, following, a brighter and duller shade than the few else possible to recognize beside the soon shut automatic door. Steps, then dreaded waddling heard so long ago, adorned to succession of faded sound, then came the next—purplish stature, then two pieces of headwear, one horned, one inwardly curved. Beside, quickly beyond peripheral gaze, all soon ahead lay in silence, steps, then finally, the last set of eyes to blast upon him another shift in temperature.

“I’d again like to apologize for not coming sooner,” the masked ball before him began, an eagerness to fall back momentarily readied under the sound’s contact. Hands clasped, two clanks emerged beneath the floating pedestal suspending him above otherwise silence of himself. “I cannot stress enough how dangerous she may have been had you stayed any longer. This...”

Form tilted, all but appendages accommodating for the new positioning of merest color looking out beneath obscurity of his face. One hand dropped to his side, limp, eager to join the floor itself.

“Personal experience, I can assure this truth.” Likely only seconds, it’d become, before eyes lowered back down to prior situation of transmitted hollowness. “On behalf of this sort, have you any recollection of possible... foreign modifications placed upon your body?”

His head shook, then did one the soft colors beyond restriction keeping glance steady over the emptiness of the table. One more cold pant, silent—though not by willpower—soon reflected back to himself for a bit of calm, distant assurance of warmth, nature due of underlings’ unintentional efforts to keep at least his clothing heated. Had he the strength to, sole consideration would’ve thrived in immense, unsustainable desire for the bottom of his silky lining’s opening to lengthen greatly enough to coat his entire face, not darkness allowed to puncture its thin wear of indistinguishable rashes and scratches garnered over years.

“This would be most important in case such a state must be reverted. Preferably not forcefully, though it may become necessary as a last resort.”

That... a question? Something of the sort, maybe... cold, it was, and brought.

His raspy voice, just barely visible under his mouth, lay only in quietude, the command even sent to bring it open, out, yet energy, among others, couldn’t bear to cooperate with revolt ongoing.

Someone let a hush voice underway, unfamiliar, none moving in the time spoken. Quickly, quietly, the indistinguishable figure took back residence beside two others in the corner of the room.

“Do you recall any procedures holding any regard to yourself? It does not matter how insignificant.”

Maybe... not. Maybe he truly could keep it all withheld, just so none else would need to visualize such a sight, the victory in keeping his empty-handed body in possession of some better use, all held captive inside... let free, after so long of meaningless captivity. They didn’t deserve that... did they?

It was so unfair, keeping them like that, but still... there lay no method to let them unbound, time again, time redone, over and over again each moment the notion returned for torment, another shock of his stomach weeping in its prison once more. Perfectly unstable to not let a sliver of pain stroll by without detrimental effort, but still, all he was doing in letting himself hurt was giving all the pain to insides that’d done nothing to deserve anything but freedom in some more suitable life.

“Is...” Another gaze off to the distance, maybe a bit longer than last time. “Your memories, can you reach into them at all?”

A dream, he could’ve brought forth, delved deep inside if he truly wanted to. So common, yet so curiously abnormal for life to adhere to, just once, finally letting himself loose and giving all up so he didn’t torture any a single moment longer. Maybe his favorite of all, but... that one other necessity, nothing more under guilt, just a longing of his greed...

“Is any of your recent memory intact?” a steadily uneven voice shook. Even the seat itself couldn’t lay unaffected by the sheer force of such a deep voice, but concern lay elsewhere.

It was... wrong of him to want it so badly—not just that, actually, more than indescribably horrific he dared consider longing that sight again. Just... perfect, he couldn’t have imagined again, the memory resided, the vision didn’t, nor the exclamation of power to consider in the first place. Too many figures huddled beside, whatever that landscape around him had warped to become; it wasn’t hard to picture it one more time, but he sure made it to be that way.

“Do you remember any of your recent experiences with that woman?” A growing nervousness seeped into the air by sheer voice. “Anything—remarks, actions, sights, possessions, can you remember any of what had happened the while with her? What correlates to your current state, perhaps?”

It was so hard not to, when that vision came back. To not starve, missing, even drink, despite plenty supply so equally close and putrid around, it didn’t matter the quality of it, just that it existed. Not letting loose a droplet down his face, that was impossible, regardless how many times he’d tried, misunderstood, and immediately failed in the nonexistent competition with his own feeling, by the time, already just trying to hurt so to let itself devoid of attention a moment longer.

“Anything?”

When it came...

“U-uh...”

Watery, as norm for the time, and messy, all sound and else of him was doubtless to become.

“Sir!”

The first tear rolled.

“May I?” the bright voice stuttered. “J-just a moment?”

“Yes?” he answered after a few seconds, all steady.

“Y’know, uh...” Orange thumbs twiddled, more stubs than anything, but he couldn’t bother to notice. “I was thinking we should, uh, maybe give him a little... space to breathe, after all this. R-Right now, I mean.”

No sign of life other than a steady spin, though he was about ready to sigh a collapse as due result.

“Please continue.”

“Because... he was just with her, you know? And I don’t think he’d be in the greatest state right now to be answering some questions. Some time to recover, I think he needs.”

Silence prevailed, for once, and he could finally realize the cold sweat over his head, frigid ringing keeping it all in line so to not collapse under true weight. His own eyes could at least take a vague visualization of the greyed environment enveloping, so much difference in received attention compared to a moment ago.

Another glance back, and he froze again. When finally let back to, his hands were shivering, another trance of indifference catered to all before him.

“This... would appear a rather alarming experience for his age, should his mind also become affected as a result.” Back again, a wave of silence, everything left sturdy as been since last opening his eyes once more. “Thank you for your suggestion, Dee.”

Again began another session of undisputed panic, two eyes of indistinguishable concept the obvious culprit, and he let on his preyed nature once more. Remarkable, he was sure to remind himself after letting himself a moment to blink, that somehow, none had dared approach beyond the table.

“I apologize for my ignorance. A break, I presume you’d like at the moment, then we can return when you are more prepared.”

The same shade of orange compressed just slightly at the back, then came another voice, quietly assuring him through a squint, two beady eyes presented some illegitimate method of comforting down his relentless tears, but the most they were to assume as a result was a quick second break, maybe a returned blink, if lucky.

“Axe, Mace, escort him to a temporary quarters,” the deepness returned, and soonest he knew, it was all ever heard of the sort before the door shattered silence once more.

Two more sounds, one a tad quieter, and the voices fruitlessly struggled to compete with form of his mind, then soon stance, realized upon bringing him upright. Both warm—he could thankfully notice for the time—a pull, soon tug up, then an ineffectual scolding and off again, before his head could readjust to the terrible sight outside, destructive capability seized him again.

A stutter, a great crash outside, one and many, soon become, but just a meddling of his mind, he knew well. Really... an illusion of the terrible, dreaded procedure again, instead two dragging him along, one, raspier voice chattier than any he’d have hoped for, if anything. Round a corner, more grey, then some more, and again... that... hurt.

Feeble enough to recognize by him, solely, a stutter behind two perfectly coherent beings, dragging him down the hall, but he still knew of it anyway. The eye of the still environment of endless, plain halls again, its torture, its unmeddled strength, its ever-greatening supply of color to ineffectually drown his sobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rip xm-l86 2020-2020 maybe forget - got freggen pooped when i needed to write my nonsense kirby ocs


	8. Never Shiver

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's getting cold...

The first was inevitable. He’d formed it himself, even. Though far, far away, long since dispersion’s tow, a stowaway to savor of the experience still lived on, somehow. Incredible noise, it spoke of, so far away from the fashion of that other, softer, calmer one he’d heard. Polarized to that merest thought in all ways possible—inanimate, distant, cold, even if not being anywhere near enough to touch, but his reach of those claims ever happening were falling already.

Then the next, more disputed than anything. Exactly the same as prior, yet something wasn’t satisfied with the nonexistent view he had in the form of long voices and even longer corridors, devoid of all save cold—his presence was recognized, after all—and by the next, his hands had plummeted to whatever stationary had become the next desperate being struggling not to be the one forced his own frigidness to deal with. So cushiony, so soft and squishy as he’d seen himself wanting in those first days, when he knew so little of her, of anything.

The crashes pushed onward, one, another, they didn’t know a place to stop, they didn’t know where he was so proper distrust could pierce his chest for eternity, stuck for the final conquest to succeed so none else would have to take the burden of doing so. Their goal so recognizable and clear to any, but none could bother to set aside the effort to allow some more ease into the task.

And the others... they seemed to mind. An odd mask, one wore after further dissonance and struggle of his eyes. Peering out just as the other did, except with different colors to display altered attire, sole contrast to the walls save a floater and another, instead more barren in external garments. Just... colors, they were, he was, the halls stood out to be, but the moment to return was only inevitable. They were simply the gatekeepers of the time between, ensuring time was set perfectly so to protect an outer appearance of lifelessness beneath cold... and more of it.

But it had to stop eventually. Whether succeeded in leading moments, indecisive about what purpose it’d held in sending another shiver off him, something was to happen, the new colors at least would’ve spoken of.

Familiar they surely were, but another drop was all a sight could’ve brought, soon too many to handle tricking past his eyes any longer—still ambiguous on the eternal debate of what temperature to notice as a better trick. Even if not making it through his indistinguishable layering of nothingness, impossible to lay static itself, the pressure was surely welcomed by any else.

“Mace!” one cried, hands exploding amongst the waves of air. A slight jumble, jittery, sounded. “You got an idea where Sir Meta gone off to?”

The company rocked, darted around in place, sentenced to the life of relentless swinging by the very figure ahead of him. “Cut it out!”

He halted, hands lifted off him, though a sturdy stance couldn’t be left vitalized beside.

“He was just here a moment ago! Next I came back to ‘im, he was gone!”

“Calm down!” he shouted over the endless sputter of panic. Several repetitions later, and still, only a shove proved enough silence the room. “Just calm down, I’m sure this can be sorted out.”

“You seen him around? I’ve been searching these halls for in case he might’ve been wandering off.”

A light sigh came. “Where did you last see him?”

All stopped at once, restrained to a subtle, yet crushing beeping of somewhere outside, maybe above, it sounded. A sole memory of so many momentary, yet fascinating arrangement of colors in contrast to blandness of whatever lay forward, it hopped through as, an astonishment among hinted obscurity any glance at memories beside saw. Simply wonderful, but it too realized the opportunity given, sole opposition in its own imaginary desire to discontinue to thrash through without issue, flailing loose another indistinct construction of his mind, his insides flooded with water in a moment, soon to find some form of seeping out, regardless of intent.

“Came to find some food at the fridge,” he began, hand placed to the top of his helmet. “Caught a glimpse of him on my way out. Was just standin’ out on this cliff we been perched near, staring out at those... explosions, I tell you! They were there!”

The procedure repeated, again ending with more forgotten remarks and another slam forward, a bit harder than prior.

“I don’t think he’d have gone off without speaking with one of us about it.”

Footsteps drew the silence to a conclusion, placed in the exact same spot as was the panic of just a moment ago. A silent expression muted the static jog, then both sets of hands lowered.

“Why don’t you go check with the others? They must’ve just lost track of their to-do list, and I’m sure they’re happy to give you his whereabouts.”

“But if he’s—”

“Ah—no no, just go ahead and ask.” His hands continued forward, pushing along another being in the process as he eyed the rear’s path. “You know where to look, and if not, then they’ll all know what each other are doing. When you’re done, go take a nap, I have this handled.”

Another stutter was attempted, though the door slammed shut before any else of the final figure could be glimpsed, another grey to signify an almost true silence again. A breath darted free of ahead, then wearily, himself, and another round of colors weaved through the room, growing larger with every step forward.

“Sometimes, he just doesn’t know how to keep himself quiet,” he declared to none, taking a seat at the far end of the bed.

That had to have been hours ago.

It was still silent as before, a few sighs and struts around the environment gone unnoticed, only to surface in view upon the shattering sound heard so many times already, days ago, only moments after so much had changed—the automatic door finding its way back in rest again. Quietude undisputed for attention, little was left to coincide save a chilled breeze taken notice of who it could affect by oozing in, the walls, floor, emptiness of life together shuddering in a mere motion, the sole one displayed his power to walk the only unaffected.

The only thing _not_ to disagree with his any intention could’ve been hoped the sole other beside him, if taking a stretch too far. He was stiff, stable, and most of all silent, though that last fact was only due to whatever quiet had ensued some time prior. A matter of time before it ended in form of haunt, but if some else came to torment him instead—even alongside, so the feeling could just slightly subside in favor of regarding physicality—he’d find some moderate contentment in it.

Just too much to wish for... yet still, he couldn’t help but bother.

Regardless, it was inevitable, but somehow, despite so many odds faced, trekked, and staggered limply across, thriving merely by the warmth disputed so heavily without hope of his own notice, the littlest had occurred paired with her, among the final culmination of buildup he’d inevitably prepared for the eternity to continue. For a feebleness housed so long, it still couldn’t find reason to not have recognized it at all, rebrowsing those memories in the fate-induced downtime just prior to whatever the idle one beside had organized.

How... forever to remain a mystery. How he’d missed out on the immense claim to ignorance he’d convinced himself upon however long ago, how he’d never cared in slightest for noticing so much wrong, instead simply limping with the penalty, and there it’d all grown to, shuddering at clingy sight simple to any soul save himself, tearing from inside looking at how helpless something such he’d forced himself, considering it all without a care for putting a stop to all the missed fail he’d only realized in the moment.

It was so, so cold, those memories, desperately clung to their sole hope, realized so well. The polar claim to whatever distant sight they’d witnessed without him, of warmth, a sort of fuzziness atop his own, just as quiet as he’d never even knew of—needed, truthfully—and there was certainly a setup he’d never have any idea how to get past.

That... wonderful shade of pink, so... close, in just that fleeting moment. Somehow alive through an endless tail of ice down the halls and stares, hats and shapes, hops and shows—his greed laid simply disconcern for all moments then, leading up to the point of pity, if just taken out all but annoyance to the notion.

He’d even done so before, yet that just wasn’t enough, was it? He’d broken everything from just that point onward, all the way to the finale of lost fable, disagreed partial return, and still, all could be done was waste time without care from another.

Just a bit touchy, all it was. The air predominantly, but the walls too, bounded every shake, one, two, then past, trembly. Just a bit jittery, exercising some more frost each moment his back escaped its grasp.

Somehow, the next crash didn’t make it through his thinnest barriers, enthralled by what good could come of reconsidering all deeds decided of him.

A pair of feet instantly shot up and off, plopped to the ground, twisting around the area in a moment, eyeing the tables, cushion, and himself, all in matters maybe shying a few seconds. He stumbled forward, steps distant as the very ones crowded so far beyond, barely within recollection at all for the time, reached around, peeked out the door to a familiar shade of not long ago—instead boomed in popularity and noise, hats and waddly feet dashing down the corridor before more than a breath could be taken from himself as the relentlessness disregarded any sense of limits, eyeing whatever destination ahead had in mind.

“Intruders!” a high voice of the hall shouted, blasted with lack of color in any others’ blink of an eye.

Sturdy, he’d become most of all, fearless in the form of a posture related nothing of the only other of the room, a stick, a set of links, a jumbled ball all conjoined to some other handheld between the fold of his fingers. It wasn’t that the shaking was of any difference—just... a bit glossed by the chill, was all. True of himself, as well, but the shudders’ origin were about as far from natural as could get for the time being.

It was seconds until they’d weaved down to a moment above, then a smidge, about to crash down if any left of him still knew how to piece something together. The spare moment was an echo, to his knowledge, stinging his ears with each following tear and rip shredded of his head and the environment in some fashion. Yet still, despite how much of a service it’d have been to be spending some more personalized time, his guardian couldn’t resist standing by, maybe just to add a bit of particular fashion to the mess soon to be made of him—regardless how understood.

“Mace!” came a similar cry of down somewhere far. “Mace! Mace!” he repeated, so many times to the point of indistinctness between it and a random jumble of syllables he could possibly muster up at the moment.

A final call burst through the entrance, havoc wreaked just a moment beyond and past, despite no visual cues of any damage. Another set of incoherent jumble broke free, then one organized to some extent of the same one stayed beside so long, and the moment dripped onward, venturing shut his window of nonexistent opportunity through the sight.

It should’ve been greater good in himself seeing that final departure—regardless if evidently disputed by struggle and flailing, only to soon succumb to the dragging grasp of the doorway. It should’ve been a slightest relief, seeing himself alone beside the cold, open air of weariness to slog his stomach through another motion of writhes and whimpers at how much it struggled to sustain itself at the moment, paired alongside his lost eyelids, close to emulation of what’d been longed for the many whiles preceding.

Yet somehow, despite all he knew about of opportunity shredded by his mere presence, the motion played off far more than a shiver ever comprehensible to any normal state of his own hearing the door shut in closeness’ silence again.

It was cold...

Increasingly so, standing the view of stillness in the walls. Backed to a whim, he’d surely become, and regardless of the ice droplets running down his face, destined to freeze the very one released them from his eyes’ prison moments prior, it was so, so cold... thinking of that.

Warm—though desperately longed to truly be so without his head’s coating, without gave so much disregard that it didn’t matter whether he knew anything but drowsiness and some... vague, molded form of softness inside, the same touch of his own natural coating, if able to describe it some way. And without that horrid covering came an incredible scent, just as sweet as an open freshness not seen in years, but expelled every moment his head opened itself to the outside world of her body.

It was getting colder, then, but such another false construct could be done with little more than hopeful ignorance, else all to find for the first eyes to redirect themselves inside would be a corpse. It was freezing, yet he didn’t care. He knew better of what nonexistent process he was subconsciously up to, so it really didn’t matter what there was to think of it... just shiver onward, shudder through another crash and spatter of above...

Another, lowering... maybe.

Beyond another mess of endless footsteps, smashes, and foreign shouts, it really couldn’t have been imagined any better seeing anything but what his mind had just been wishing a while already, yet somehow, with all likely procedures long since dispersed in favor of resorting to a helpless lump shuddering in the corner of a bed, touching a freezing corner, imminentness could only be disputed for true mental response.

The door’s destruction couldn’t have been noticed regardless, but anything beyond could so justifiably with the stilled moment—so very close to perfect, yet he couldn’t assure what that meant anymore. It was another cold aura, he could sense, derived tenseness off the mere sight of the so many sharp points of the indistinguishable weapon a moment from his face, outstretched all the way from the farthest doorway by a reaching hand, dwindling just below determination in a squint.

Then it dropped, suddenly.

Moment and all, sights and everything, the razor edge lowered softly, seconds struggling until finally, his lifeless eyes met contact of another, then entire form of the slumped weapon’s only support—coated in an even darker obscurity compared to the habitat’s own colors, shade of minimal face exposure simply unfamiliar, a long, cool blue hair somehow not trustworthy enough to snag his attention even the slightest.

It was all frozen, time had long since halted to allow a stare to be given between cold, watery eyes, and a gently subsiding expression of forward, another hand slowly approaching face for some indistinct action.

Another jitter shook way in the form of some silent gasp, but even still, pulverized under consistent cold of the unbreakable, unrecognizable enthrallment of the figure barely there by increasing blackness treading the air with murk every moment, another breath stood onward, softly. Audible, it became, then something so much more than distinct, despite how subtle it appeared over the endless wrecks of just outside.

If just another droplet of water had appeared before him, somehow large enough, still enough to catch enough of a gaze into reflected form, a futile lump would’ve stolen eye immediately, limp more so than ever—still, shuddering, or nonexistent in the tremor awakened, just unknown. Beyond it would’ve been a sight never warranted by any’s appearance or processes, something sure to break free of the bubble immediate to discard any memories still held for another cycle of circulated chills through the room, a misunderstanding of what that truly was, it should’ve been. That... told everything, after all.

It was only a lie he kept telling himself, yet it didn’t matter much in the end. The sharpest, longest, most dangerous tool still lay its aura upon the ground, seeped to him in a moment... a pass was impossible, but he could see it so clearly. It... was a vision, but an artificial one, at that.

It was the only color of the entire world, after all, edged, then shoved forth all nonsense it could muster up for the time just to speculate what would be best to finish next—if still around by then—but somehow, through odds and missed minutes of shades taunting him with knowledge he couldn’t so much recognize them, the nearer, empty grasp still gave just that awkward bit of cold to finish the forever frantics of his insides.

And somehow, seeing her weapon lowered, her empty hand growing, her face pleading no intent save some subsidiary of pity, it almost would’ve appeared the most agreeable thing he’d seen since the existence of fresh apples.

Almost.

“Francisca!”

His ears burned at the word, sounding to let themselves cry, but the true culprit of strayed sweat still evaded imminent evidence.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the second’s voice boomed from just behind the destroyed entrance.

“Oh... nothing.”

A second gaze reappeared, and he could feel his insides struggle against their sucking away from his internal realm, let release after eternities with bruises and broken battles to show off immediately.

“Does he have one?”

Another blink grinded through.

“No, it doesn’t look that way.”

“And you’re stalling for _what_?”

Two breaths broke the mixture of faint quietude, near identical to however been last he’d heard. Maybe a spin, that was, a revealing of blue hair so soft, freezing cold, smooth as another. The soul-stealing returned, seconds until it finally broke into the completion of calm color.

“This... is a bit much... force, we’re using.” A soft breath, padded and provided. “Couldn’t we perhaps try to bargain for all this trouble? We could back down now, explain our goals, and I’m sure some conclusion could be reached.”

So much compression and grumbling, so much warping of what that opposed squint of the redder figure truly meant... a tear felt.

“Would it make too much of a difference to follow our goal?”

“Please, just give it a moment...”

“This is a waste of time!” the rear screeched, shaking the bed and walls, disrupting even the precision of how the ruckus all around could be told. “I don’t care how long you stay here, there’s a finish just _waiting_ for us, right down with all the other hearts.”

Then it was cold again.

It didn’t even matter what the final shape left behind, a squint, it looked, a raised stance of the weapon at rest, probably, but the most he’d recognized was just another wave of murkiness, ever-growing, ever-approaching. Just a spite for him, but _something_ needed to, with colorlessness reformed in an instant once more.

It couldn’t be left with just another shock of static, looking past the tumbled form his hands had garnered over the tears of sitting such a way. To pass the time, a wonderful skepticism of what his own shattered capability could muster up... a possible vision of forward, maybe.

Yet somehow, through the true nature of the crackling doorframe, sputtering out a jolt of blinding gleam every moment possible to glance through barrages of invisible barriers coating his view, the warm memory lived on, some distance beneath trouble just out the shelter holding its poor living, soon crushed under distant reign of chaos, a stretch of echoes paving forward, a single catering showing all their soon fate.

That force was unrecognized, at best, yet somehow... still known. Still aware of it, it the exact same to him, but a shiver was all he could give—exactly what was wanted.

It was so, so cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dunno why, but in my mind Axe Knight sounds like Rusty Pete from RandC. I don't get it, but it at least makes some sense to me.


	9. Drone Duosphere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Offa ship.

They came, they went without issue as a speck of color. They passed, they rustled by the hollow entry with none after a brief revealing of identical pairs of peeks—if anything—and left behind a spot of clanks and open breezes to fill the rest of the emptiness caused just before. The very same where one arrived, deserted, gone hours before realizing what had truly happened.

Impossible to understand was any of their reasonings as to disregarding him so long, especially when seeing so many of them take a glance inside only to shoot back in an instant without letting sight of any hand responsible. It was doubtless their claims and wishes, evident their immediate desires upon seeing such a young and defenseless lump of frigidness beneath the silky sack containing him, grand sticks in hand, yet it just didn’t matter.

Maybe that they had too much a workload upon them, maybe... a bit too much noise for them as well, and they were just one the many shattered to bits by sputtering sound... yet he knew better. A sole was feeble enough, limp, distressed enough to succumb to such weak ability in damage, but crying was no less than physicality in his mind, so all was well on the providing end.

So long ago, he couldn’t recall himself seeing that fantastic sight before him, another construct of endless selfishness seen with her, with... the _other_... cold. Too cold, but the mind was long gone already, seen a distant contrast reform beyond the sparks of smashed greatness laid just a moment forth. Had he the ability to, he’d have really liked to hop upright, near the last figure with the last of his heat, energy, and strength, stroke that bumpless, doubtlessly silky strand-set of hair, then collapse of whatever felt like of her and himself.

“Uh... h-hey!”

And resumed—everything wrongfully lost since the final dropped tear of however long ago.

“Uh...” Two steps hit the ground, one no softer than the last. “Uh, are y-you, uh... are you alright in there?”

A spattering of whispers broke sort of ahead, then the eyes approached, near enough for a reflection of disbanded illumination to join light of his face. One dropped, let toward the far side of the door to some extent, and a sudden flinch spawned.

“Don’t worry... I’ll... get you a way out of there. Just wait a second, okay?”

It seemed like minutes watching blurs of orange and white dart in place through random steps, several times over until the gaze lay in restoration once more. Another forest surrounded his last smidge of heat into far much intimidation to play off any use.

The first foot was unsuccessful, and a whimper broke of the crash site. He stuttered, stopped, stammered something unsuccessfully, then gazed up and down between himself and the broken sparkway.

“One second, I...” To both sides, behind, then downward again, his face turned. “I’ll find a way inside.”

Just a few short, silent pleads was all it took to get by, and another posture soon had joined the fray of silence before everything, not even mental dispute ready enough for devouring of his savored energy to break beyond the sputtered doorway of ahead. Loomed behind both, one of his diminutive back, one’s unconscious eyes above obscurity, it occasionally attacked the vaguely referenced ground many steps beyond with a single crack.

The bed shited, soon a squishing of a hat fallen loose onto the perfect, yet disbanded sheets’ surfaces. With a weak chuckle, the figure beside fell back and stared toward, only to regain his stance a moment later, headwear again readjusted.

“Are you okay?”

His head shuddered a response indistinguishably.

“I... I wouldn’t think they’d be too lenient if they saw you here...” A parting of gaze one-way, suddenly, and a set of beads shot open before him, excited and stammered by another round of lifelessness out of him. “Did they hurt you?” he said, feet jolted back upright in an instant. “I—I mean, this doesn’t look like the best place for you to have been staying, because if they did... uh, I... don’t mean they _did_ , or anything.”

The ground plopped, squashed beneath him with an indistinct drop of beside.

“Did they? You... I mean get to you?”

The air shuddered forth some shivers of its own, and he soon plummeted down past everything, not one left even a hint of reaction at his misery as his gaze seeped down deeper and deeper into himself, soon the floor without variation in distinctness. A droning continued onward of beside, a few times between, a sputter of etched warmth of voice reaching his body directly, left nothing to save him from continuing down.

It all stopped without a trace of ever occurring, his eyes somehow met the face of another pair, but he couldn’t move. Tracing motions were long out of fulfillment, thinking about them just about, and his face burned frost at the sight around.

“Uh... I think we should maybe go now. It’d really be better if you had some uh... warmer environment over here.” A back appeared in view’s edge, soon returned to reflective stubs of eyes. “And less dangerous, t-too. That... I guess doesn’t look very safe.”

An incredible air of warmth drew near, a single instant of some revival inside catching glimpse of the sole opportunity ever to near again. Past without mere consideration, his face backed down, a squint in his glance, and a hand reached, tapped the ground softly. Two, maybe three reverberations sounded and spelunked, crashed through his mind with gentle havoc, and all miniatures roaming above soon fell of the greater ones—the unmistaken memories wreaked destruction not long before.

Again, the aura neared, only to disperse in a moment, almost the precise reaction replayed. “C-can you get... over...” His voice lingered for a moment, crackling of behind caught attention a moment longer. “Uh... I could probably carry you down where we need to go. If you, uh, of course want me to...”

The cushion fell beneath him, but he stayed, floating, gazing without life to the sights of beyond possible noticing—a stillness of consistent grey, an odd peering of jittery facial expression beneath.

Another breeze sounded to a single set of ears.

A jittery breath signaled forth.

“T-tell me if you need anything, okay? I’ll... get you, now. Don’t move. P-please.”

Then finally, the tears were let their nonexistent goal. A wonderful contrast to the breeze, if not one itself, a certain, long-immeasurable stance of whiteness filling glance entirely. A grunt, a topple soon bounced off the walls and flickers, but his mind had been deserted all the way since being lifted up the first time.

His head dropped, then rang gently by a hit of warmth behind as both were readjusted into utter softness never imaginable. His first breath fell, the hat conjoining him to the only thing to receive his relievement of stress or some other without his knowledge.

It... was just too much. It was burning with pain of throat, hurt of eyes, their own action inevitable, but he couldn’t resist. The warmth was too much, too soft for him to dispute.

“I... g-got you.” A grunt came, then a single, hard plop of the ground moving ahead without them. “Tell me...” He panted, heaved him upward. “If y-you need anything... t-tell me...”

And the voice disappeared, at last, but he was far too distracted to even consider it. He was freezing more than anything, but the single motion was all he needed—an act of greatness seen only so long ago in the motionlessness of a warm squeeze over his entire body, except it didn’t disperse immediately upon slightest, vaugest growth of notice.

That hat before him, that face half-coated by his own body, and most of all the immense load of heat, hopping him up and over the wall of endless exertions of the tattered doorway... a lot. Too much warmth to handle or deserve, yet he couldn’t think otherwise.

* * *

The breeze was exceptional. The life spent in those minutes flown, far much to put into description over loads and hoping ends of tears, though in general more so. The entire time, it hurt, never painfully, but it hurt inside with all the warmth and noticeable envy of all those who gazed in on him—a decision unwarranted, yet somehow gone with anyway—but still something else so great most of all.

It... held a demise itself.

The next sponge was hardly better than the floor... it was hopeless attempting not to reconsider being held so gently all over, again and again in the single second watching him collapse beside, panting.

Entirely cold, too cold, and all he’d done the entire time with the experience was lay still to a heap of nature’s inability—a rock, a fallen trunk, a leaf atop the floor, but greatened to his size, lifelessness, frigid and all. The breeze was relentless, but at the moment, it didn’t matter any more than the last bits of water left staining his eyes. For once, he was sure of it.

“Ah...” Another pant, another groan. “Are... y-you...”

His face sunk, the hat left toppled on the bed at another signified twisting and compressing of its prior host. The breaths couldn’t subside, his watering the same, and for a while, the sight stuck. It could’ve been etched in perfect memory, maybe even in such a state, just with the right time and positioning, and maybe his tears could save a short mirror for him to helplessly gaze through as it seeped out of existence.

And the room froze again, though not of dispersed appearance, blankly noticed through a second of dropped action aboard his eyelids. Stature, too, to extent of half the participants present, though ice was more what would’ve came to mind for alterations in last recollections of warmth.

“Mace?” Hands fumbled beside him, sliding, dropping with each passing breath fused to the sheets beneath both in a mere moment. One brushed him, a tear responded with a wince over its territory, though motionlessness was all followed. “Y-y... is that you?”

Steps laid the sole reply forward, a closing, colorful sight coinciding with all blandness thrived to change blurry view a moment. “What happened?”

They drew closer by the moment, soon to point of a dash, then the door shifted a new force behind, again—familiar, soon shoved back to the hall in an instant, a grunt coming of both involved.

A sound came of beside, then another wheeze as his hand surfaced with softness beneath once more. Eyes to the ceiling, a heavy blink initiated, then paused, lasting till a few scribbled seconds of silent solitude in memory before the next whimper limped out.

“Did something happen to him?” he asked from afar, though all to receive was another sputtering of breaths before a fall.

The door spouted another mixture of exclamations, though stood put. Disregarding all ability necessary to breach anywhere of the unshakable walls, static ceiling, and jittery floor, the open air just couldn’t resist, seeing such a one inside—and with a toppling dismay achieved in exhaustion of beside, at that. The first, but the weakest.

“He’s alright,” he rushed out, then his eyes fell with him, at last.

Two signs, yet both too indistinguishable to recognize.

A soothed hum. “And you? Did you want a visit to the infirmary?”

“P-please... I-I’m just...”

The door burst, but none even flinched. A single moment of barely noteworthy rest trailed the new and familiar appearance, and he felt ready to collapse the same in the moment culminated so long, right since last the room had been topped in popularity.

All space was occupied, all air cleansed of emptiness, and the environment had exploded—the moment was imminent, yet he couldn’t realize it for what reasons his tears had already looted of him.

“Wait!” one kept repeating, only halted for another by continuous hold back. “I got an older procedure all familiarized now!”

“Save it for another time!” the sole opposer lashed back, sturdy, soon trembly by the loosening hold of his own hands against the mask of ahead.

It wasn’t soft. He couldn’t tell himself that otherwise—his mind could warp to look delicious should he choose at the moment, but such a thing was too far out of reach. Another one, unfamiliar of above, could only follow suit, maybe for trace of some others doing the same.

And all at once, it fell again, the very same as the doorway of prior. Those bright bits of light... the attributions of all flailing hands seen the very next moment, stilled to a single breath so many times. They looked the same, a general shade shared between both the mask’s glare—separate of the one beneath—his own scraps of whatever those were of his own... maybe a twitch of his fingers possible, but grabbing long delved into hindrance.

Regardless of belief, the last instant was drawn out so much longer than the last. Finally, he was done with what seemed “normal” after the simple gaze of both, he was to suffer the consequences, and when finished, it was only past the end he’d be able to recognize the sounds and sights, disbanded of each other, fragmented in forever remembrance to somehow correlate one to another, his presence to detriment.

He wasn’t stiff, as the eyes flying before him, widened to some extent. squirming past a final, built pant, only to demolish itself under an impossible whine of inconsistency, then it fell again, the hat the only to face consequence of his doing.

“For Sir Meta!” a voice beneath declared, tossing him up at maximum height without letting a speck of heat off.

“Let him down!”

He fell with the collision. A grunt served his sole softener of otherwise striking the ground.

“What’d you think you’re doin’?”

“You’re going to hurt him!”

“He hasn’t ever been authorized onboard!”

“What’s that supposed to matter!” He lunged toward, missed, and regathered against the room’s far wall with a displacement of his hands. “He was brought here by our very commander himself, and _that’s_ not enough?”

“I haven’t heard anything about him being let roaming off here.” He sidestepped, avoiding another futile burst forward with immediate reaction. “This is exactly what we’ve been told to do here, why don’t you take a good look into your mind for a bit? He’s for certain said we can’t let any intruders onboard.”

“You just saw him!”

The silence pressured his body, tensed it, squeezed it of all tears left so whatever rotation he’d been sentenced to could let all droplets left of him to the outer world, somewhere with a better deed in mind. To the floor, one seeped, splashed down, turned to a puddle of indistinguishability amongst the specks of color creating the ground, and he could perfectly keep telling himself it wasn’t an mirage.

He lurched, then did another squeak of distance. The ground almost fainted of his appearance, though managed a rebalancing before any more could be disrupted of sound’s edge in the conflict. Him and naturality, all it was. An endless river of trickles, his eyes the seeping point, anywhere else their destination.

“G-guys!” came another rasp of somewhere beyond the nonstop footsteps. “Please... s-stop fighting! I-it—”

“I can’t see a—”

“Stop!”

Everything obeyed the word.

A hand raised ahead, guarding the sole exit of the room by mere presence. The floor twitched under indistinct direction of the flattened shape, turning in silence, then another whimper.

It truly began.

“He’s so young!” a sob droned in conjunction with a tremble of softness. “Please! D-don’t...”

And he cried back, silently, without enough stillness in mind to make a noise, but tears met presentation of another weeper nonetheless. In a moment, his eyes were jolted back into depths of obscurity among dryness of air, but neither side could discontinue flows, he could’ve told of the growing disturbances of light softness lifted him high up above the sharpest two points he’d ever have seen—but a hold, regardless.

It could’ve been warm, and he wouldn’t have been able to tell more than a second of drowsiness creeped in. More times than viewable, his eyes shut without motion, irresistibly searching anything misconception alongside mind, the sky blurred, the air fell around him, the silence wrapped him so tightly already. Just pointless escaping—one fell swoop in form of a move of him, and... then.

The pressure was immense. His hands were tight into sealings, readied by conscious demand. His stomach, tired by exhaustion more than actual hunger, joined in, and soon, his eyes truly followed suit for something so obscure. Extraordinarily soothing in that moment, it could’ve been called a first blink.

“You been looking for some peace between us?” The ground quaked again. “I can surely assure you, we weren’t meaning anything behind what you just saw.”

“Axe!” A silent pant protected the moment of approaching hardness against floor—solely through intuitive forgettal of what was only a minute or something prior. “Axe. Just...”

All shook again at the single step, a sniffle going unharmed despite relentless displacement of his own correlation.

“Set him down, okay? Look... uh, I’m sorry for just lashing out at you, I admit it wasn’t the best choice of mine in the moment.”

“I heard something about you not wanting to throw him off?”

“Wait, wh—” The figure stopped throw of his hands in an instant, front redirected to the bed a moment. “I never said that. Now, can you just _calmly_ —”

“Surely, you’d just want to keep him as a stowaway onboard, wouldn’t you?”

“No! Of course not!”

His face froze, weaved outburst ahead too indistinguishable at first to notice the new peek provided in just the jolt.

“A servant?”

“What?”

“How about a maid? I don’t know about you, but he’d to me look just right for the job.”

The regularity drowned him. It might’ve been a breath expelled from him, but certainly a tear.

“Some sort of—”

“How about none of those, and you let _me_ do the work, okay? With all that commotion rampaging on earlier, I’m sure you haven’t gotten enough time for a nap yet.”

“Oh, sorry about the misconception, I’ve gotten plenty of time for my rest. Why don’t you take some the same?”

Something muttered, then broke a sigh with another repositioned foot. “Okay, okay, but I know you work extra hard here, so I’d think you deserve all this extra break.”

Some faces of eternity. A great monstrosity—nowhere near the levels of a far, far wireframe, a hallway, but a moment without something approached was unspeakable—something along a threatening gaze, his remains stunned a good many seconds until life somehow broke confines.

“But if you’re just looking for a new hunt yourself? I’m really sorry, I can’t let him into your hands.”

“What’s that even supposed to mean?”

“Well, for starters, I won’t be letting him out my grasp till I’ve done all necessary with him, but you also can’t lay one your own hands on him.”

“No, not that! Ugh...” The breaths duplicated. “Okay...”

And finally, the opportunity was seized. First just a twist of his new carrier, direction toward the empty goal right before everyone, unguarded of all but coldness perceptible by one, and from then on reigned a line of shouts. The last moment inside, it was doubtlessly reassuring to see such a blank face again, watered or not, something so simple was just fine after all the scathes featured over him.

“Wait!” one called from back, something along trueness demonstrated in whatever altered tone.

“I’m sorry you had to lose your senses of memory for the while! I’ll help you get ‘em back right after I’m finished here!”

The walls disappeared behind them, not a whine in sight for all halls reimagined in perfection all over again. It wasn’t the swishes of insides over again getting to him the most, not even close. Along the corridors, rounded a corner, the voices trapped him between hands beneath and nothing, something swell momentary in vision, but unforgettable it remained, even through the endless hindrances of his own bounding.

It was just ahead, he knew of it, his eyes weren’t even faced there, but visualized so clearly it didn’t even matter. He thought of it—it came to life before his lost eyes, and a certain merit he’d finally accomplished. Sure, to a demise just later, but fine enough if he was to be seeing such a thing, wonderfully blue and still, unimaginatively fine hair in tow for some punishment by holding the goodness of getting to see it.

“Hold on! Can’t we just talk about this first!”

“We’ve already done that! I can’t be wasting any more breath with talking here, but I’ll get right back to some conversation if you’d like when we stop!”

“Please!”

The grip tightened, and so did lacking relaxation’s unknown. Through another tight gap, shut, then brought forth the sole pursuer a moment later, the door had already exhausted itself far too much to place any more load over it without some retaliation, at least.

Then finally, after the forever spent under something so undeserved as such a formation of material to surround him in entirety, some energy returned, somewhere, some long place along the road of ceiling and peripheral color dashing toward. It was bright—his eyes winced—of course a bit warm, but saying something like that was putting a stretch more so on reasonable demand than perceptibility.

In a moment, the sunlight had reached him entirely, but only for that moment. It was finally time, for what, unknown, but high above something, anything, his body wept and pleaded for the grip to sustain itself over him, despite how useless they still knew it was to be. His entirety of innards, which was sure something not to lay unusual, but all into a common goal was quite perplexing, concluded at the moment. The emotion could maybe be assigned some method of communication, just some time was all needed...

“Wha...” he finally panted, caught up to a few many seconds afar, letting the moment revolutionized.

The bars, strung together at height barely lacking his captor’s eyes’, brought some immediate discussion to the nonexistent meeting. Whether the color same pale as some string forming a monster glaring a bed along pitch-darkness, whether their quick heightening, obscuring of a desperate, futile grasp and collapse of the farther one, whether something about their own cold dissonance meant anything at all, it could have been ordered and he really wouldn’t have known, of course.

Under a fraction of anything what could’ve been brought up at the moment of dismay, but at last, the feeling could finally be recognized, so much time and preceding diction of jumbly air left a final concept to mind—fright.

“Sorry kid!” the mask called of above, waving down a final hand only imminent to impact. “No hard feelings, just following orders!”

It’d already hit, but the rest of the scene could be seen stupendously for how quickly he was rolling. Gone, though not without much struggle and voice, attempts to take another peek of eyes or hand down to the abyss of the hill stationed beneath himself, the final figure finally was.

All the way to the bottom, and somehow, he just didn’t mind.

His head ached more than anything experienceable. It stung all ideas and sights once visited and held so long ago, it tore apart its very creations of the past, and despite how whiny already been so much in just that dash alone, they couldn’t stop. They repeated, over again for himself to expel in futility right before it seeped back inside for another round—his hand clenched, the first movement since entrance aboard that enormous shadow loomed beyond him.

He could see it so clearly... again, no matter how many times he’d promised himself that was true. Peeking back into there was more than a daunt, a glimpse back into clouds of narrowing colorlessness simply proved, and several droplets came and left by the time another sort of anything could be seen. Then softness, as beneath, but to an extreme extent, and it all flew by until the aura of ice. It hurt undeniably, but he couldn’t stop, the mention had already sent, and his own eyes met face of another in memory all over again.

Just as that squinted stare, it was all so cold under darkness. Illusion was all he was doing to himself, but it was impossible not to care seeing it all over again if it meant impediment deserved, hastening the pace if it meant getting a single touch of the forever chill of shivers his own robes could maybe understand. Color mixed of the two by slight greatness to warrant such a notion again, but the tears were already returning.

All it took was another glimpse back, after all, and too sudden for movement, a speck of energy shone down over the edge of his clothing, warped all the way to his farthest hairs by some miracle in the moment. Whether due to reluctance to discontinue light to the trapped body down beneath the cave of halls, misunderstanding of who affecting, or whatever else, the day progressed—the sun shone.

To his hand, to his chest, neither of which ever happening, but with how cold it was, that was all too much. Ability’s sense was long restored by the first ray’s striking, and all boiled down to reluctance in moving as the grass saw rain once again, but in a moment, it fizzled. Then a stamping of fingers, groping randomly upon realization of being allowed a sight of something alongside everything, for once, and by some dumb luck his eyes saw forward.

There was green light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oops chapter cut short


	10. Warm Hugs in Court

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robes find rain.

The sun was impossible, all its shiny rays and bright flashes incomprehensible. Themselves fine, shade thankfully in existence so to not disturb any else’s need of light, but yanking another sorrowing string out his twisted stomach for a last bit of energy, there was something quite abnormal. Noticeable and simple, but more a winding complex so gaping, threatening in sheer amount of space withdrawn in mind that it was no different than the last debate at the bottom of the hill—maybe some moments ago.

The branches twisted through each possible puncture point of cold composed the innards of his head, emerging with a sting. They trailed without physical presence save a helpless depletion of last stocks of energy each time he futilely alleviated stress over his ears by raise of hands. Some sticks, lost reason or maybe opportunity in the majority’s decision, departed through face, stinging eyes with force never capable of relievement regardless how fiercely or continuously he rubbed away.

Understanding flow, reason, and all except coldness, the next stump knocked him with an immense ring and projection of his face to the air above. Back to the ground, a constant vibrating of his tears undergone to water to field beside, all he did was cry—nothing more, ever. Just a defining trait of himself, after all... nothing like an ability to fault pain with mere motions of hand, or to not take immediate residence under flows of eye upon taking a single blow of own doing.

All wonderful things of theirs, and the most he could ever accomplish was missing everything, anything obsessively longed every moment he existed. Some wish always existed in form of food or a place to stop and rest, maybe, but the moment laid one far more distrusting that it didn’t matter how much he could drown it all out with sogginess. One look back into his crumpled form, a gaze into the wonderfully constructed, silky lining around his body fit to the absolute worst beast it could’ve come across, and the color stood the line without sorrow.

It didn’t even matter how obscure a color blue was—a dark water was all it could ever be seen as, rarely as a plant in the midst of sleepless nights, so uncommonly that it trampled rates for even finding a roof at time for rest. And for once, the single time that was ever to change... it was for some unlucky sight who had somehow wandered into view that single moment.

He cried with his stomach, as did always, he sobbed with his mind, a standpoint of the latter so much more unexpected by any, and the last of his water seeped into the ground beneath, his face making no move to resist the spinies mostly trampled by his own collapse. The ones to survive made the effort to still lay discomfort to any locales over his body possible under such weight, but it wasn’t easy poking much beyond the sole protection of his—the robes in wrong hands.

But finally, with the floodgates cleared after expelling of all water’s residence within, his mind was cleansed for the first time since seeing sunrise. It was a sort of restoration letting notice a leaf atop the back of his head, soon the pitch grass still struggling under his immense pressure over them. Quickly, a single thought raced by, a hapless skin of whatever words past reading next turn of his head, his entire body to the endless clouding of foliage above, then the trunk of an enormous loomer beside him, peacefully waving and rustling in sense of emerging light rather than real sight.

His form moved without body, trailing along to see what could only be presumed darkness behind his own eyes as the world beyond started up again, forgotten the tree of a second before. A ray shot down on him in a moment, and he winced. The squint picked a direction vaguely upward, energy too lacking to receive much more than a quick blinding before being sentenced down to an eternal slump.

He trudged onward without sound, an empty, decrepit model solely resembling decaying wood, fallen, too distanced from his own consciousness to recognize a sound of colors barely emerged in the single glance ahead long ago, so puny. An enormous quiet stood, taunted the immense opportunity of the endless span forward, without need worry of her, even the reception of lush, pink strands of wonderful hair adorning her back, her wonderful, silencing stare

Through another hole in the world, he ventured through without thought or mind. Nothing distinct could’ve occurred, but next he looked up, nothing was the same anymore. There was green—bright green, nothing dull after illumination of far above—a lot of life around, waving and calling to the endless night already left a while ago, and a stinging again in his head, but that didn’t matter too much. It was another breath speaking out to him, reaching with an icy touch like those returning tears reminded of, the very one of nature itself.

Out the ring, a burst of wind presented his eyes upward in shrouds of something, into a long stare toward another remainder of conjoined wood and branching leaves. A horrible breeze only contributed to the toppling excess of frigidness from a time in some halls, rustling some more sounds to unknowing blandness portrayed in both spectrums of life, and again, he collapsed to a lump atop another.

Instead, whatever beneath exerted enough strength to actually provide some discomfort, encouragement given, even, but try as it wanted, nothing but his own deeds were enough for energy. Whether closer to his side or face, he didn’t care much for—the fact it wasn’t jutting his ability to breathe by lying just a smidge closer to his stomach was the most appreciated thing since... something like freshness.

The pressure was lifted of both by a roll, then he sighed, panted over and over to the nonexistence of light above the tree’s obscurity. The ground tilted and fell beneath him, and again, water swept his ability and control, a soft tap against the side of his stomach beside almost unnoticed. Any less physicality, and... he wouldn’t have been able to see it, ever. Evident in the moment, his hand soon groped and reached for it, placed one of the freshest apples ever seen above his face, and plumped it beneath his eyes. There wasn’t much of a blink to coincide.

His mouth lurched open in a second, the last drops over his tongue failing any life before vaporizing in presence of distant light. The sound of all inside arose—it was nothing, but enough to discourage any food from ever trailing in, ruining his robes by all juice and mold expelled from the fruit to land atop his already tattered hood.

Soon he crunched, then again, and the food flung into the clamps of his mouth, slobbered by a single, savored drop of spit still left inside after so many ordeals of tears prior. The taste was so incredible, downright rivaling a glance of pink just a moment before dwelling consciousness proved otherwise with its last strength, the sapped supply of waters inside so dryfully juicy, and before a chance to gaze in on his doings, his face had melted of all lost energy.

The apple was half finished by next he peeked into its off-colors. An escapee of drool emerged beside his mouth, quick to dribble off toward a spelunk to the side of his face and his clothing, but the move couldn’t be made in time, leaving another forever dampening for him to regret so much later on.

The breeze picked him up, transferred him toward the stump of the tree and to a limp lean against it, helplessly licking the last insides of the mudded food in his final moments of energy. Something tapped his head, a leaf straying over toward the confine between his ears, and another bite was taken in the time between his possible blink and an ease of natural pressure atop him.

He didn’t care for the destruction raged by his own mouth over the poor apple before him, and it all soon delved into silence, a breath, and a whimper before letting himself a chance to see it again. Really, anything... more likely than not his reminder of that very same color again, but deep through the outer obscurities trying to mask it, and the blank stare etched into the bark ahead, he knew it.

She...  _ was _ still out there, no need to fall any time soon, she wouldn’t... like that too much. Fine, fine, she could take his own robes as a replacement for her own—they were just about the same even...

The peripheral glare of an etched grooving continued onward, not one—as much as he pleaded it to be—far beyond another, the total laid a trio of disbanded pairs of eyes before him, none in recollection letting much of a mouth to see for him... yet he just couldn’t stop his own arrogance by getting to use it on fruit holding no idea it’d even been sentenced to its final wish. With an instant of halted tears, he stood, abandoned the scenery he’d destroyed by setting his hands down, then fled with the last of his strength, quick as he could as his eyes soon laid in envelopment behind fingers.

It didn’t matter his own intent in drowning everything else in sobs, not his inability to think calming them down, not the apple taken prisoner along in his limp hand—discarded in a relaxation of grasp, but not ringing loud enough to warrant his return to give it a rightful resting place—his energy drained to the outer world, at last, with tears and so much feeling he couldn’t help but let freedom. To a shadow, the tree saw him disperse with an array of quiet stares, past a smidge of indistinct, stranded color, and he collapsed to the cold, hard stab of stone in a moment, crying into the ground without any less than a few hours passed while his eyes seeped closer to extinction every moment.

And finally, after so much disruption of his own relentless sobs, the sun arose of above to shed some light into the tightest corridor, a single speck for that moment he looked up.

There was a wall of oddly pieced slabs closing him, atop it a slight overhang of a roof to shade his reflection of tears’ sole intent. Beneath, close the same, a shining trail of added rocks pieced to a compact and smooth presentation of the ground—almost appearing a path through the woods, except without the dirt and shrubbery surrounding. All the colors sighed him a collapse into the corner of tightest shade, weariness soon remembered, and only so much later did the noise shred some more pain to his eyes and heat depositories.

Long dismissed, so much tilted time and worthless hopes of another quiet face to stare into him, and finally something not imaginary—noteworthy, but nothing to be appreciating as much as the lingering scent of apples. Even if just a quick rollback of the sun ago, his ears stung immensely at the distant herd of chattering.

All that time... he just hadn’t realized it. He’d seen it, even, he’d very distantly heard it on the unlucky few times residence had to have been taken nearby, the bright lights and traveling voices of a village always stung. The apples of the box ahead couldn’t lay recognition for their efforts in spilling toward him, but it was only imminent his collapse and devouring of another quarter before choking it all up on his side.

He just hadn’t noticed any of it until next came along, and his own feigned vomit resonated without scent. Everything was aching enough already, but that flash just before, out barely between a stashing of boxes solely coating his body from the open arena just ahead—he had to look. His hands struggled upward, his head turned with so much relenting, all so that he could just satisfy his selfishness a moment longer.

It was far too deceptive, but he cared for no more than getting to see another quietude of pink again.

He collapsed into a wall. His eyes forced a blink, reluctantly received an awkward rub to readjust the sight in truthfulness, but... it was still there. She’d barely moved—just the position of her head was all changed. Again, she turned to the hardly recognizable slab in her hand, slid another moment out of view, and his face groaned and struggled upright so to fulfill his desirous promise to himself.

His breath couldn’t hold steady any more than half an instant, if that. Head stirred of all consequences set for himself, the next few minutes were something he’d never have known if taking everything out of memory except the moment. Her hair darted around slowly, just a single second every time she noticeably crept, her shadow breezed and dispersed every time she glanced up from her handheld to a building again, all the way until she phased from existence behind so many whimpers

With another second settled in misery, the new ruler left, another endless oblivion resting his mind in eternal ringing, stinging, falling and trailing behind wishes for something to end, mostly for another face of flashy color to return view. It wasn’t too long before vague tranquility was finally set into place, but the most came was emptiness. His stomach couldn’t move, his hands reluctant in following, and then again... the option was in hold. Take movement to the abyss of trees and darkness, pass with apples to settle forever...

Or the only reasonable answer—to end her suffering in attempting to find her one belonging of only trouble. Nevermind why he was needed so badly, so long, she had purposes he was never to understand, and a certain intent was so hard to reach despite being right in front of face.

Waived, he soon gave up, cried himself to a momentary sleep. All those hours before, never had he once considered it... and the predicament was faulted. It was coldness he was thinking of the entire time, not lasting heat and even longer hair. Everything writhed in trembling, tapping his hands and all so soft with a force resembling no else—he could ignore a slap of his hand against rock once or twice if he wanted without pain.

There couldn’t be any more waiting from him... she was  _ right  _ there, she’d hardly moved out of sight, and what a big deal he was making it to be. Meddling with energy was long proven already, but he’d been so further unsettled by the sight that all he could think was to drown another pile of apples.

No more objection... she’d far wiped the borderline of adequacy. It ached, demolished all his hands’ lost triumph in keeping steady upon another lump—even more so his ability to visualize properly—though the quiet plop of his bitten hold was enough to startle him back into. The cold was a sting enough to scorch him the same, and in a moment, his face was right back into the ground, blindly hoping against any loose splinters of the elevated platform.

He started without hesitation, his mind burned and lashed at him not to go out, but it was just the same presentation as usual, so many times recently he couldn’t bother to count any more than the first couple gasps as everything strung a hard stare. Gone was his temporary hiding place behind those boxes, the sole hall he’d ever seen with an end, and somehow, the apple just taken by him.

Barely a second out and he lurched back again, the light was so powerful. His eyes trembled up... nothing but those same few ravages disregarded in some miracle. Not a trace of any but lifelessness, color dispersed till shadows or, more often than not, regular residents of the quiet array of buildings.

Right back to his huddled position, he fell back to the corner of wood and stone, sobbing an unheard greeting, only to cut by some dismissive flashiness. He didn’t buy the feigned appearance for once—mostly a mistake, but it turned with some... consequences. Wonderful, stunning ones, at that... he just couldn’t stop putting it off for such bland intent of remarkable illusion.

The brief flutter was far too much, and he cried a silence out the crates, finally, dropped his sole conclusion and protector allowing his safe leave into the abyss. Darkness crept, his face winced farther into his own until cornered behind a standstill, and all left to guide him was a vague recollection of where the hair’s trail ended. A wind’s misleading far more likely than not, but with it retaliating, slamming so hard against his hungry ears, he missed his possible greatest misstep by a mere flinch.

All was there... the sweet sound of emptiness, it was right in front of him. It touched against itself, it brushed the breeze without ever faulting like his own when subjected to air beyond his hood, and most of all, it was flashy, unmistaken, and remarkably crafted. Nothing stated it wasn’t her own, but the lead of her hair made it impossible not to almost suffocate himself.

It was just the sweep of her head to the world above, and in the second, all left of her were the final strands. He broke a whimper, he sobbed a question in his own mind, something relentlessly worrying how much it couldn’t have appeared just the slightest bit... misarranged, but by next moment, it was right back into his face, the wonderful twirl of it, distantly calling him besides name, his hands without energy...

“Mommy?”

It truly was a wonderful moment getting to see it lurch behind her head... wasn’t it?

And the world sighed him the quickest, most painful gasp he’d ever heard from, right before his eternal demise in the exclamation coinciding. Far away, an hour watched from the sidelines, contemplating whether to let him know how much the sun had moved since he’d said his first word, but with who being spoken to, they at least understood the effort would best be played off some other time.

The tears hurt... his own, the truth above him, it did worlds. Pain didn’t satisfy his needs—the most gotten was a quick wake-up of his eyes to endless strings, recently tattered by the wind and her own hand—his stomach was the only thing wanting to be given notice, but even then not in the same fashion as the cold device shredding his back with an immense grip.

“I’m sorry...”

And much as his own, those were exactly the first things ever describable to himself if the eternal squeeze felt an end. One more tick to trample his body after she was finally done herself, at least... and he couldn’t bother with anything but her pain, again.


	11. Insider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Get food.

She toppled, wobbled sideways each time his insides bound together to lurch out anything in preparation for whatever next. Something turned, something else fell inside him, tried hard as it could to subside the enigmatic motions he swayed along with, but the most gotten was a grumble of his stomach, listened to all him in the deep center of darkness in pink.

Her form towered into the abysmal skies, seas of scattered stars, clouds, whatever nonsense else he could riddle up when apples couldn’t be found. So far down, her head limped to a final, twitchy form, around a good few moments alleviated between each tremble to startle his own staggering minimum to nonexistence. His own top was the sole deed responsible for keeping it upright, doused of all her tears into a wobbly figure—some struggling toward his eyes to match an otherworldly request to twitching hairs.

And in the most immense disregard of all, with a snapped twig of nonexistent greenery somewhere in view, nothing else could compete with the reprised stillness of calm, energetic color just a moment from seeping past her back and pushing his face. So blurry... it looked almost disbanded, for once in ever he’d been able to catch a glimpse at it.

It was his worst possible effort in just attempting not to glare into it behind sobs, shivers, and particular weight over his drooped hands. Those hours spent in the midst of booming underbrush were instants when attributing truth of unnatural ability a moment ahead, the brightest, flashiest color holding capability to some degree of overseeing time itself. The complex of flowery strands was the necessary form, its gentle bounding of her every sway its incantation.

“I’m sorry.”

Her hand tilted, her fingers groped around until reaching the joint of his back, leaving some of the least noticeable, yet clearest trail jumped down his stomach and bounded back to its source in a moment. His eyes trembled the slightest bit away in late conjunction with the shiver.

Minutes slogged as a stick through mudded waters, reluctantly trudging forward only due to their position as timekeepers. She probably let him back some company between ears again, though the most discernible was some spread droplets splitting both sides of his face away into cold dampness.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated, nearly forcing another squeak with how much air she tugged in the coinciding compression. “I won’t ever let you any degree of impediment again.”

Her whisper drowned all color of his hood, soon bound his ears to a collective weep. Words continued, something barely coherent of how softly being rasped, and his head struggled from inside against a balance not his own, a control above ground unheld. An endless pant parted the glance of above, then another rainstorm, and from an outer hill he could see his own clothing succumbing to its forever dampenings.

He suddenly sniffled, then again after a gasp of his own. His back was quick to remember its task and return the pain of behind, some taller portion hindered as nowhere near the incredulous quiet of her hands, though there were so many barrages of tears and corresponding sounds the sole refuge of blurry dominance in pink lulled him back without his first thought.

Before even the first of several shattering sounds of him, the finale of minutes burst forward. Sooner than he knew, it came, though it was hardly much of a decaying. Gone was her resolution of tears—at least trickling into him—all her unwarranted energy relegated from everything, his head excluded, to exactly the same as prior. Ears were all left seeking attention again, even if it meant sacrificing all good to take a drink of her pain.

“I—” She added a sob. “I presume you’re hungry?”

There wasn’t much else capable but greeting of the next teary enforcer as he struggled behind her remark.

The edge of her face drew contact again, a faint portion of what must’ve been a sigh alleviating all jitters of his hair closest to hers. Through what minute scraps in recollection of relentless water lingered, no more stood than the distant truth of her frontal form... so very close. A moment away she sobbed relentlessly, but just beside, everything built to her favor—her hair swayed all directions so to not even brush the rot still somehow given some subsidiary of authority by appearing in the most obnoxious, wildest dream of her hold.

“I had not intended to appear in this specific locale for your treatment, but...” Whispering breaths and sniffles broke her vague silence. “I... suppose something suitable may be possible in this plaza.”

There were some unmistaken words he’d somewhat glimpsed, but it was again her indifference catering his lifelessness in some way or another. The breeze was... powerful, roughly below the strength of her own wind by a smidge, though whether more assistance was played in part to cold rupturing of his already freezing back or... an easy question.

“I will not delay your well-being any longer,” she hushed his tears. They didn’t bother reckoning rebellion, for once.

First it twitched before him, his face instantly falling beneath floor and depths of frost as the surplus of pink garnered its own sort of transmission from how flashy it led him to believe. He toppled back, none daring to save him, his head unmoving as the colorlessness again drifted out of sight.

He’d dispersed himself, yet still, the savior stood, the twiddling of purest vision before him, scraped all other light from life to itself so to enforce suitable distraction. He sighed his last breath, his face backed from the recognized hall he’d somehow shattered himself with by entrance, and some taps flew pace to a slower steady as she exerted another soft sob nearer. Her breath was far more than enough a mute, though a soon point of a stub toward him, a hurried face, then two departures of waddly feet, all between the span of two dangling seers, drew his view back from questionable choice.

The two escapees still let a moment in view as the gentlest breeze picked up toward his eye, almost attempting a sort of relievement for how awful his form appeared to those others... something familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint where he’d gotten those beady eyes before. His own gasp was inescapable, the succeeding hopes of anything otherwise on her mind the same, but in a few seconds he’d concluded he couldn’t tell most of what passed if he trembled his eyelids shut.

Some slides of cold drew near. Twice, it sounded, she jumbled a softer tap into something more inducing, though tears gleefully took the opportunity to sap her breath again.

“Excuse me.”

The wind blew, his back falling against whatever stares crowded nonexistent sight behind him. It pained, surged through arbitrarily, though the least of his worries unquestionably accepted their fate with gaze of the sole, calm color ahead.

“Oh, hey Susie!” They crept nearer by the sound, a sudden twitch unavoidable while her head seeped toward his back once more. “Just tightening up some loose ends here.”

The warmth squished him even more, all but likely his ears obscured into a lump behind her hands and dropping head.

“Yes,” the gust emerged, falling off his back without more than a wince after a silent sigh. The ground twisted, despite not being let each other’s faces to notice. “Would you happen to know of any retailers in the relative vicinity?”

“Hmm?” Something plopped, and a faulty yelp broke his sense of hearing. “Uh, yeah? O-oh, I mean, yeah...”

A quick rummaging scavenged her hair a streak alongside return to stature, himself darting to an abrupt air between her and some wall boarding him stiff. He trembled in suspension, though it only gave a moment before his stomach churned out the reminder of truth before him—a vague resemblance of tree’s material... and about all as far as color went.

“I run the finest shop right here, actually! Could I get you interested in anything? Maybe a browse at the inventory?”

The sun burned up again, remnants plummeting back in form of a stare. Immediately, the effects saw new life atop his head, and before a moment could arrive his top had been overtaken by the sensation, a rock scathing skin, but the bleed was much more evident through less comforting heat.

“Would you like anything in particular?”

She didn’t continue. His hand etched a tightest squeeze into its roundish spoils, whatever identically unjustifiable incident he’d induced at the site of his stealing—the first juices arrived, a glory for something even if meant a tighter wind. She searched up and down the tip of his stature, all the while he mercilessly tortured his sole accumulation in luckless stress relievement, the breeze pulled again, and her form flowed.

“Would apples suffice?”

Among the graces of steadily weighting air, it was a luxury. 

“Does your subdivision hold apples?”

“Yes, got some right...” Something fell ahead, though it was more difficult to tell if the ring-formation had existed longer than his memory could improvise worries. “Here. Oh, and just to set it straight, this is a one-of-a-kind stand. I don’t manage anything else.”

“Oh, my apologies for the assumption.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it.” The same tap crashed his hands loose. “What size can I get you? All the ones I have are right over here.”

The strengthened breeze was again all he could care about, but try as he wanted there was no option of joining it in conquest of fluttering it all. In just the breath alone he saw more than enough of a partial glimpse to satisfy the same corner of his mind, and in moments he too served the illusion of distance from some unobscured stiffness.

“Your largest available?”

“This one. It’s... packed... sorry, my, uh, stocker didn’t give me specifics on how many were in it. Or I guess any of these... but I have some other business and specifics in case you change your mind.”

“That would be adequate, thank you.”

A hoarse scratching paved to a somehow subtler drop, rupturing the entirety of his upper peripheral vision.

“Care for anything else? Some of the sweeter stuffs in the back sell quickest, especially the ice cream. I can’t guarantee when they’ll be back after they’re gone.”

She stood in place for a good hundred gasps while the increasing shadow of his gaze loomed into another sag of his head. All he could sense of his tears was their pleads for the warmth in air to come just a bit closer, though they understood his obtuseness more than himself.

“I’d like your entire supply.”

“H-huh?”

Her palm fell nearer to his back. His stomach ached in retaliation.

“Oh, uh, sorry, sure thing.”

Trembling even the very overseer sent the hurl against him, something along the lines of intent crossed forward. If only a moment, but return of a missed hand didn’t shiver it nearly as much as its furry coating.

“Sorry, what can I get you again?"

“Your supply of ice cream, please.”

Some indecisive blue flowed into the distant corner of eye.

“How much did you want?”

“Everything available.”

“Oh, uh...”

Somewhere distant, the grass scratched, just like his head when he couldn’t bear another irk of his tallest hairs. Minutes turned to seconds, his face grew more begging of some interruption of all mudded mind he’d accomplished with an overabundance of height in about everything—a moment behind stood the cause of nauseousness, tears, and invisible sighs above—but he was just too plain in his whimpers.

“Coming right up.” A shallow inhale, then an equal chuckle fell. “One moment.”

“Of course.”

Her fingers tightened, and his back dirtied itself under retaliation from under, all over in a relentless stinging.

“Y’know, I’ve been hearing some complaints about people not getting what they’re promised, and I just wanted to clear this up so you don’t... find some miss—or...”

The performance threatened with the gentlest creak of fallen wood, succeeding despite its subtlety.

“Here it is.”

Her hair flew to the side, nonexistent next he could find.

“Oh...” she whispered, visualized better as a breath than a word.

“Good?”

His back softened.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Will that be all, or did you still want a peek?”

She eyed downward, signaling a weep of his stomach at sheer exertion it couldn’t ever comprehend. He twisted softly, her hair from its position just ahead of the wood mess’ front, and he again pleaded a hope to above, only for it to crash back down upon meeting indifference of her head above.

“This will suffice.”

“Okay.” Forgetfulness returned with a departed speck of his hands so far off. “You know what? Just take the whole fridge, it’d be a lot easier for both of us.”

She didn’t flinch at the hollow thump of upper eyesight. Had she connected with the ground, the entire world would’ve trembled from how much force she’d stored by watching the many past shivers so numbly.

“Alright, so this is my first time selling so much of anything at once... there’s a lot in there, and it’d be really inconvenient to count them out. I... guess this one’s negotiable.”

“Do you accept Haltmanns at this locale?”

The blue slumped darkness into the even farther corner.

“Look, I’m just gonna say this once—I’m not interested. You still have to pay for this.”

“Yes, I do intend to. I apologize for my indirect attitude.”

His eyes fell into a deeper pull. One blinked, fallen too late to recognize how much strength was really over his back, but all mattered in the end was his half-moment of a doze.

“Oh! Oh uh—sorry! Sorry, I... thought you meant something else by that.”

“No, I suppose I should’ve stated myself clearer.”

“Oh, alright.” His head misguided another itching sound from afar. “Is there any sort of local exchange rate between them and Gem Apples?”

“Not that is within my knowledge, no.”

“You... got anything else to trade?”

“I do not, my apologies for the inconvenience. The financial department of my company would be more knowledgeable than myself on this subject, perhaps you could contact them for an agreement?”

“Sure.”

“This would be by means of Haltnect or its subsidiaries. Would that satisfy?”

“That name sounds a little familiar? Is it by chance linked to... oh, I think it’s called Hypernect?”

“I would presume so.”

He startled himself, waking from another lengthy blink. Something behind his throat ached harder, a croaked wheeze long attempting some weight among the situation, but it came with hardly a whisper.

“Yeah, actually.”

“A moment, please. I must locate the address of the division.”

She sighed something above, almost whimperingly, and withdrew some of energy off his back. The shiver was only imminent, regardless of how much else he’d already taken, and the lasted pain while her other hand splayed out, somewhat covering the empty space otherwise gone with the departure, stayed in mind a good several seconds before the cold device hovered back to place.

“My ship’s actually had it on for the longest time, and I just never knew what it was supposed to be. I’ll need to double-check when I get back.”

“Thank you for your time,” she finally spoke silence with. A coldness doubled on intent, purpose, and imminence, though he was offered nothing unheld in the moments visible. “I must be going now.”

“You too.”

Her hair twisted vaguely toward him, stumbling in perfect coordination with fleeing of her hand, another whisper of above.

“You need some help with that?”

“No.” She took another breath and leaned him into a murky recollection of light, an entire moment he took to all but blink before remembering watery eyes. “I will manage.”

Something crushed his head, seared it just a bit, but regardless of pressure it was better tolerable than his own hand. The weight let a high breath, perfect emulation of her own, yet convincing himself it was only the rest of her body keeping him captive seemed like much less effort on his own part than to feign some unclear variant of life as she hung him down—her hair more than a suitable covering to obscure any hint of his presence deep beneath.

“I’m sorry,” she broke between barely sturdier breaths.

The first stone limped behind, startled and twisted by realization of her own rotation. It all broke quiet again, not whispers, not stares, it was just some cubes on the floor, a formation he’d seen somewhere long before. Somehow he found a way to cry to himself with it, nothing of a droplet escaping anywhere after so much drainage boiling down his face and seeped to his own fur, but so much pressure pushed the true cause beyond reasoning that it didn’t matter in his mind.

It hurt, somehow, somewhere. The breeze even, swayed a limp strand of color all around, of the grass and scenery and else of her, though most directed in time was revealed his own robes. Forgetting the reasoning, he simply looked back into a spectacle, torn, her weight above toppling into the reminder of whatever just seen—something almost familiar in water, something doubtlessly silky as his own, something blue as a sole certain robes, only imminent to cause what could’ve been a mirrored eye rub.


End file.
